Over The Love
by Starfire Tamaran
Summary: "My whole life, all I ever wanted was to follow my dream and be the best. I never expected any of this to happen. They say being on top of the world is challenging, but falling from grace and losing yourself...is harrowing." After joining The Shield, Valentina Monroe is ready to take WWE by storm. Will she overcome all the obstacles thrown her way? Or will she crash and burn?
1. Welcome To My Life

_**A/N: Hey, WWE fans! Well, I honestly didn't intend on posting this until I'd finished a couple of my other stories, but I just couldn't wait any longer. So, with that being said, I really hope you all like this story, and if you guys have any suggestions or questions please feel free to let me know. I also want to give a shout-out to my good FanFiction friend LittleGee for giving me some amazing ideas for this fic. You're awesome, girl! Also, I highly recommend that you guys want to check out her WWE fic, Speared Through The Heart, as well. Enjoy!**_

* * *

 _ **Chapter One- Welcome To My Life**_

* * *

" _ **I settle down a twisted up frown**_

 _ **Disguised as a smile, well, you would have never known**_

 _ **I had it all, but not what I wanted**_

 _ **'Cause hope for me was a place uncharted and overgrown**_

 _ **You'd make your way in**_

 _ **I'd resist you just like this**_

 _ **You can't tell me to feel**_

 _ **The truth never set me free**_

 _ **So I did it myself**_

 _ **You can't be too careful anymore**_

 _ **When all that is waiting for you**_

 _ **Won't come any closer**_

 _ **You've got to reach out a little more**_

 _ **More, more, more, more**_

 _ **Open your eyes like I open mine**_

 _ **It's only the real world, life you will never know**_

 _ **Shifting your weight to throw off the pain**_

 _ **Well, you can ignore it, but only for so long**_

 _ **You look like I did**_

 _ **You resist me just like this**_

 _ **You can't tell me to heal**_

 _ **And it hurts remembering**_

 _ **How it felt to shut down." Careful by Paramore**_

* * *

 _ **~Now~**_

 _ **~Payback, May 17th 2015~**_

My hands gripped the edges of the black granite countertop as I stared at myself in the mirror. To say that I barely recognized myself would be an understatement. I'd always been told that my doe eyes resembled innocence and kindness, but tonight, they resembled the complete opposite. If someone were to look me in the eye right now, all they'd see was malice and hatred… all because of the one man that'd driven me to this.

I'd lost all my sanity, and the only thing I wanted right now was to make said man suffer for putting me through hell for almost a year. Some people thought I was insane for challenging Seth Rollins to a Falls Count Anywhere match, and others thought it was justified. Regardless of what they thought, I still intended on getting retribution. However, I also knew that Seth wasn't gonna hold back on me either. He wanted to destroy me, and the feeling was mutual.

My gaze shifted over to the butterfly emblazoned belt that sat on the counter; my title. It was one of the few things that kept me going these past few months. It was a symbol of me taking my life back and fighting back.

With a smirk, I draped it over my shoulder and exited the locker room, ready to raise hell. After walking down the corridor for about three minutes, I ran into Roman and Dean. Although they'd lost the Fatal Four Way title match against Seth, I could tell that they were more than ecstatic to see me hand him his ass.

"Hey, baby girl," Roman greeted, pulling me into a tight hug. "How are you feeling right now?"

"I feel ready," I replied, wrapping my arms around his neck for a couple seconds before pulling away. "And I swear to both of you that I'm gonna make this right."

"Oh, we're counting on it," Dean drawled, giving me an encouraging pat on the back. "Go out there and make that corporate fuck bleed, Valentina. Show him why he fucked with the wrong family. Show him why he made the biggest mistake of his career by fucking with the Killer Queen. Give him everything you've got and don't hold back. Do what Roman and I couldn't."

"You know I will, Deano," I said, my voice full of determination as I slammed my right fight against my left palm. "I'm just glad Kane allowed you two to be at ringside in case things get out of hand. After I told him that I wanted J&J banned from ringside, I was worried that he was gonna ban you guys too."

Roman snorted. "Well, Seth's been pissing him off these past few weeks, so it only makes sense that he'd allow us at ringside and not the Hobbits."

"Valentina, go to your mark!" a stagehand said, gesturing to me. "You're on in ten! Let's go!"

"It's all up to you now, Monroe," Roman said, giving my shoulder a comforting squeeze. "Kick his ass."

"I intend to," I murmured, before turning on my heel and making my way to the gorilla position. A mixed wave of emotions coursed through my body as I power walked down the hallway until I was standing right behind the curtain. This was it. No turning back now. Everything that had happened for well over a year had led up to this moment. This was me putting the final nail in the coffin of this ongoing war between Seth and I. One of us was gonna be victorious tonight, and I was gonna make damn sure that it was me.

"This is a Falls Count Anywhere Match!" Eden announced. "Introducing first, the challenger: from Brooklyn, New York, she is the Divas Champion; VALENTINA MONROE!"

 _Hey you know you're lockin' lips with a libertine?_

 _Hey did you know you're knockin' hips with a killer queen?_

 _Another victim of my method of seduction_

 _I made you look but you never saw me comin'_

Adrenaline pumped through my veins as I sauntered down the ramp and climbed into the ring. I handed the ref my title and sifted into a fighting stance. I took a brief moment to glance over at Roman and Dean. I couldn't help but smirk once I saw that they were sitting in the front row by the barricade.

"Well, I think it's safe to say that this is about to be the most brutal match of the night," Michael Cole commented. "I mean, when's the last time you saw a man and a woman duke it out in the ring?!"

"It's been a while, that's for sure," Jerry 'The King' Lawler retorted. "Valentina and Seth have a lot of history together, and she's sure got a lot of rage inside of her, and she should!"

"I've said it once and I'll say it again; this is completely unfair!" JBL scoffed. "Seth's already retained his Championship and now he's gotta fight his psychotic ex-girlfriend! Valentina's got some nerve letting it come to this! She could've supported him like a good girlfriend and joined him when he asked her to, but no, she chose to go to war with him! I can't believe Kane would even condone this!"

"Seth's got no one to blame for this but himself," Jerry replied. "Not only has he tormented her, but at one point he even tried to end her career! You can't blame her for wanting to get some payback." _Amen to that._

It was then that I heard Seth's music blared throughout the arena. He strolled down the ramp with a devilish grin on his face. _Yeah, yeah, you won't be grinning once you see what I've got in store for you, you corporate skunk._

"And her opponent, from Davenport, Iowa, weighing in at two-hundred and seventeen pounds, he is the WWE World Heavyweight Champion; SETH ROLLINS!"

He slid into the ring and mockingly blew me a kiss. Then he gave the ref his belt and inched closer to me, a mischievous glint in his eyes. He really thought this was going to be a cakewalk. Then again, it wouldn't be the first time he'd been blinded by his arrogance. Unfortunately for him, that was about to become a huge factor in his downfall.

On second thought, I'm getting a bit ahead of myself. It'd probably be better if I told you everything that'd led up to this, and how things got so out of control…

* * *

My eyes fluttered open as the alarm clock on my phone sounded throughout my apartment. Yawning, I sat up and slid my fingers across the screen, silencing it.

It was six in the morning, which meant I had two hours before I had to get in my car and drive down to Florida for NXT. I'd signed a developmental contract with WWE back in September 2010, and they assigned me to FCW, which was now known as NXT. I'd made my debut about a month later as Valentina Monroe. In my indy days, however, I just went by Valentina. I'd made the decision to add my last name because it sounded more impactful.

I couldn't help but grin as I walked into my living room and saw the view of the Brooklyn Bridge outside my window. Although I lived about ten to fifteen minutes away from it, my apartment was on the top floor, which ensured an impressive view.

I'd been residing in Brooklyn for thirteen years now, having moved back here with my father three months before my tenth birthday. Originally, I was from Brooklyn, but when I turned six my parents decided to move to Las Vegas due to the fact that the company my mother worked for had relocated there. It didn't matter to me because at heart, I was a hardcore Brooklyn girl. That was pretty much confirmed when I'd made the decision to stay in Brooklyn after I graduated high school.

My love for professional wrestling dated all the way back to my elementary school days. Wrestlers like the Rock, Edge, Lita, Chyna, Victoria, Trish Stratus, Shawn Michaels, and the Undertaker inspired me to go after my dream of becoming a pro-wrestler.

Wrestling was also one of the few things that kept me motivated and strong after my mother left me when I was nine, for reasons I'll never know. She was my best friend and I'd loved her to death, but she was also selfish and not exactly a faithful wife. After my father had found out about her numerous affairs, well… he snapped.

Coming home from school to see my mother storming out of the house with her suitcases was the most devastating day of my life. Despite me begging her not to go, she simply replied that she needed to do what was best for her and that when I grew up I'd understand why. And to this day, I still question why I wasn't good enough for her. No amount of counseling my father had scheduled me to go to could fix the hole my mother had left in my heart.

On my fifteenth birthday, my father surprised me by taking me to a wrestling school in the area and signing me up. From there, my wrestling career took off. After three months of training, I was ready to start wrestling at all the indy shows that I could. The most notable company that I'd been signed to was Ring of Honor, or ROH for short, in 2008. After busting my ass there for two years, I was rewarded with something that was gonna change my life forever: a three-year contract for WWE.

From that day forward, I only became more motivated to make history in this industry. Not only that, but I knew deep in my heart that I was gonna be Divas Champion one day. However, I also knew that it wasn't gonna be handed to me on a silver platter. I had to work my ass off and prove why I deserved it.

I whistled the Kill Bill theme as I lazily walked into the parking garage, trailing my suitcase behind me. I couldn't help but smirk once I'd finally located my black Camaro. Tossing my suitcase in the trunk, I hopped into the front seat and shoved my keys into the ignition.

Once I'd finally reached my destination, I crashed at a hotel for the night and woke up the next morning rested and pumped. Tonight, I was scheduled to compete against Alicia Fox and I had no doubt in my mind that I was gonna be victorious. I'd been on a bit of a…. losing streak for the past couple months, but tonight, I was gonna do whatever it took to get back on track.

* * *

Frustrated screams escaped my lips as Alicia trapped me in a body scissors hold and ruthlessly pulled my hair, screaming obscenities at me as she did so. The ref kept asking me if I wanted to tap out, to which my response was, "HELL NO!" and I countered by striking her in the face with my elbow four times, enabling her to loosen her grip on my waist and clutch her face.

Flipping my hair out of my face, I seized her by the hair and locked her into an inverted facelock and executed an inverted swinging facebuster.

"Ouch!" I heard Tom Phillips, one of the commentators, say. "A devastating move by Valentina!"

"Yes, but will it be enough to put away Alicia?" Brad Maddox chipped in. "Valentina's certainly become more angry and frustrated after so many devastating losses, but who knows, maybe tonight she'll finally get some redemption."

I slowly stood up and backed away from her to set up for my main finisher; a bicycle kick that I referred to as Sin City.

Alicia screamed as her body slammed into the canvas and she took a moment to roll over onto her side. Dropping to my knees, I wasted no time hooking her leg and going for the pin.

"1!"

"2!"

Alicia suddenly kicked out, and I had the instant urge to tear my hair out as frustration took over me.

Dragging myself up, I backed up and bounced off the ropes to hit her with a headcissor takedown. Although she was still dazed, she took advantage of this by grabbing me and retaliating with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. She wasn't finished there though.

She pulled me up by the hair, and wrapped her leg around the back of my neck. An agonized scream left my lips as she hit me with a Foxy Buster. Laughing, she crawled over, took hold of my leg and held it up.

"1!"

"2!"

"3!"

The ref pulled her in a standing position and raised her arm as Byron Saxton announced, "Here is your winner: Alicia Fox!"

* * *

Pissed and defeated didn't even begin to cover how I felt as I heatedly stormed backstage. I was fucking livid. It seemed that no matter how hard I tried, I was always gonna end up getting the short end of the stick. I'd been wrestling for eight years now. I knew that I was talented and I knew that I had what it took to be on the main roster, but at the rate I was going, it'd be a millennium before I got my big break.

Yanking my gloves off, I seized hold of a steel chair lying up against a table and chucked it at the wall. At this point, my outburst was justified. It was then that I spotted two beer bottles sitting on the table. My hand wrapped around the bottleneck of one of them, and with a grunt, I furiously flung it against another wall. Then I did the same thing with the other bottle.

I spotted an office chair nearby and irritably sat down and buried my face in my hands, choking down a sob as tears pooled down my cheeks.

A hand suddenly came down on my shoulder and a familiar rich, raspy voice murmured, "You know, a beautiful woman such as yourself shouldn't be crying over something like this. It's an injustice, sweetheart."

* * *

 _ **A/N: And there you have it! I really hope you guys like this chapter! Oh, and if you're interested in watching them, links to Valentina's titantron and the trailer for this fic are both on my profile. I also have a Polyvore collection for this fic that I'll be updating as the fic goes on. However, since FanFiction has decided to delete the majority of links (including Polyvore) I've posted, I'll just give you the name of my polyvore profile and you can Goggle it. Once you pull up my profile, the collection is right under the overview tab. The name of my polyvore profile is**_ ** _starfire-tamaran._**


	2. An Offer She Couldn't Refuse

_**A/N: Hey guys! So, I just want to give a big thanks to everyone that's followed and faved so far! Also, huge thanks to CrayCrayTay2, wweslytherindiva, and Guest for reviewing! Enjoy!**_

* * *

 _ **Chapter Two – An Offer She Couldn't Refuse**_

* * *

" _ **Du du du-du, du du du-du**_

 _ **Du du du-du, du du du-du**_

 _ **Du du...**_

 _ **Some legends are told**_

 _ **Some turn to dust or to gold**_

 _ **But you will remember me**_

 _ **Remember me for centuries**_

 _ **And just one mistake**_

 _ **Is all it will take**_

 _ **We'll go down in history**_

 _ **Remember me for centuries**_

 _ **He-e-e-ey ya, oh he-e-e-ey**_

 _ **He-e-e-ey ya**_

 _ **Remember me for centuries**_

 _ **Mummified my teenage dreams**_

 _ **No, it's nothing wrong with me**_

 _ **The kids are all wrong**_

 _ **The story's all off**_

 _ **Heavy metal broke my heart**_

 _ **Come on, come on and let me in**_

 _ **The bruises on your thighs like my fingerprints**_

 _ **And this is supposed to match**_

 _ **The darkness that you felt**_

 _ **I never meant for you to fix yourself." Centuries by Fall Out Boy**_

* * *

I lifted my head up to see none other than Seth Rollins sitting right beside me, having pulled up the steel chair that I threw at the wall. He wasn't alone though. Through my peripheral vision, I saw two other guys with him… Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns. It was then that I also noticed that they were all wearing the same attire: black cargo pants and black turtlenecks… Interesting.

I knew all of them, but in different ways. I'd only spoken to Roman Reigns a couple times whenever I passed him in the corridors. He wasn't that much of a talker, but in the ring he was one dominant Samoan.

Then there was Dean Ambrose, and he and I didn't exactly get off on the right foot. When he made his debut in FCW, the number one priority on his agenda was to get under Seth's skin and do everything and anything to take Seth's FCW 15 Championship. And his plan to get under Seth's skin? Sexually harass me to no end. The worst incident to date was when Seth and Dean had a contract signing for the Championship. Once they'd both signed the contract, Dean decided to instigate the situation even further by grabbing me by the waist and dragging his tongue across my cheek, something he used to do on a regular basis with all his little ring rats in his Indy days. Charming, right? For that reason, I tried to avoid him at all costs.

Then there was Seth…. He and I go way back. 2008 to be exact, when I was nineteen. I met him at Final Battle, which was ROH's last pay-per-view event of the year as well as its biggest. Out of all the Indy shows I'd done, Final Battle by far was the most crucial. Not only that, but I'd only been wrestling for the company for three months. Top that off with the fact that Final Battle was also held in New York City, well… to say that I was nervous once December 27th rolled around would be putting it very mildly. Mostly because I was afraid that I was gonna end up doing something to fuck it all up. My mini mental breakdown was immediately forgotten however once I was walking down the corridor. I'd stopped for a moment to fix and smooth out my ring gear, you know, just to ensure that I didn't end up having a wardrobe malfunction.

That's when I got the feeling that someone was watching me. Sure enough, that person was Seth, but in this ROH days he went by the alias Tyler Black. Needless to say, we ended up hitting it off right away and he's been my best friend ever since. Unbeknownst to him though, I've always had a thing for him. Yeah, I was the girl who was secretly in love with her best friend.

Dean moved forward to kneel down in front of me and put his hand on my knee, chuckling once he felt me tense up at his touch. "Relax darlin', I'm not gonna lick your cheek again," he drawled. "We're here to tell you something that may make your day a whole lot better. Not only that, but it'll also help your career."

"And what would that be?" I inquired.

"Let's just say we've been watching you for a while," Roman spoke up, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. "You're beyond talented, Valentina. You're an amazing performer, which is why we want to recruit you."

It's a good thing I wasn't drinking any water because I definitely would've spit it out right after he said that. "W-What?" I spluttered, my eyes widening in disbelief. "W-Why me? I-I don't understand..."

Dean grinned. "We need someone like you with us. Word on the street is that the main roster's got a shit-ton of corruption in it, and we intend on taking it out head-on, and you're the perfect candidate to help us do it."

"We don't care if you're on a losing streak, Vee," Seth said softly, raising his hand to brush some hair out of my face. "All that matters is that you're driven, you're talented, and you're deadly. We want you- no, we _need_ you with us. With you on our side, we'll be the most dominant faction WWE has ever witnessed."

It was a hell of an offer, but given that my reputation and career were on the verge of going down the toilet, I wasn't about to pass this up. Especially if it meant redeeming myself and becoming big.

"Alright," I finally said. "Count me in. You guys obviously aren't fucking around… So, um, I heard through the grapevine that you've all got something big planned for Survivor Series, care to enlighten me?"

"You're right, we don't fuck around," Seth replied. "And we definitely don't take kindly to people who think they can end record-breaking title reigns and not suffer the consequences."

"So, I hope you're prepared to do some serious sabotage," Dean added. "We're not gonna rush in there and play a nice game of patty-cake with Cena and Ryback. As soon as we enter through that crowd, shit's gonna get real."

Roman pushed himself off the wall and stood beside Seth. "There is no turning back, do you understand, Valentina? We're about be the center of controversy, but it's gonna be worth it."

Seth nodded in agreement before standing up and holding his hand out to me. "Welcome to The Shield, sweetheart."

With a giggle, I took his hand and stood up. "So, what happens now?"

"You go back to your hotel room and get some rest," Seth replied, letting go of my hand.

"And tomorrow you'll meet us at the Performance Center at nine to do some training," Dean said. "We want to make sure you're good and ready come Survivor Series."

"I'll be there."

* * *

Okay, I didn't expect this training session to be a walk in the park at all. Especially when I was training with three guys that were over a foot taller than me and twice my size. However, I also didn't expect Dean to put me in a fucking armbar and then try to tear my hair out from the roots during the first five fucking minutes of the session!

"SETH!" I yelled, glaring at him since he was supposed to be the referee, but he was finding this situation more amusing than serious. "DAMMIT, COUNT! YOU ASSHOLE!"

"Careful, Killer Queen," Seth said mockingly, pushing himself off the ropes and waving a finger at me. "I hope your tiara doesn't get taken away because you just used inappropriate language."

"Seth, I swear to- AHH!" My rant was cut off when Dean decided to be an even bigger jackass by pulling my hair again.

Seth chuckled and did the three count and Dean reluctantly loosened his grip, which allowed me to take control again by slowly getting to my feet. Dean still had a tight grip on my wrist, but I retaliated by snapping my head forward and headbutting him. Then I pulled him into a standing position and countered with a shoulder jawbreaker.

At that point, I went for the pin, but Dean ended up kicking out at two. I grabbed him by the hair and attempted to pull him up again, only to have him punch me in the face and clothesline me.

I gasped and groaned as my back slammed against the canvas, and through my peripheral vision I would see Dean climbing to the top turnbuckle. He raised his elbow and patted it a couple times before jumping off. I stealthily rolled out of the way to avoid a diving elbow drop.

Dean instantly clutched his elbow and that's when I knew I had to capitalize and I had to do it quick. Snatching him up by the hair, I stood behind him and bent him backwards before tucking his head face-up under my armpit and wrapping my arm around his head until my arm was pressed against the back of his neck. Then I jumped up and slammed both of my knees against Dean's back, effectively hitting him with another finisher of mine: Femme Fatale.

I hovered over Dean and hoisted his leg up and Seth quickly dropped to the mat and slammed his palm against it.

"1!"

"2!"

"3!"

"Here is your winner: Valentina!" Seth announced, raising my hand. Then he looked down at Dean with a snicker and said, "How's your back, bro? That looked like it really hurt."

"Don't fucking test me, Rollins," Dean grumbled, pushing himself into a sitting position as he rubbed his back. "Hot damn, Valentina, I think you might've actually snapped something!"

I shrugged. "Serves you right for almost dislocating my shoulder and getting tear happy, Ambrose."

Roman climbed into the ring and nodded his head, clearly impressed with my win. "Nice work, Valentina. You beat Ambrose, but let's see if you can take on the Big Dog."

"….. Can I have a moment to say goodbye to my ribs and spine first?"

* * *

After our session ended, my body was in more pain then I wanted to admit, but hey, if enduring grueling training sessions with Seth, Roman and Dean would help me take over the Divas division, then so be it.

Once I'd showered and changed my clothes, I dried my hair and slapped some makeup on before exiting the locker room. To my surprise, Dean and Roman had already left, which meant Seth and I had the Performance Center all to ourselves.

"Hey, Poison Ivy," he greeted me, a playful grin on his face once he saw the Poison Ivy logo on my shirt.

"Don't mock my favorite DC villain, Seth," I warned, playfully punching him in the shoulder. "You remember what happened the last time."

"How could I forget?" he snorted. "You pushed me into the pool of the hotel we were staying at and threatened to rip my ass out through my mouth if I ever did it again. By the way, if you're Poison Ivy, does that mean I'm Batman?"

"Nope, you're Two-Face," I said bluntly.

"…. I seriously hope to God that it's because we both have two-tone hair and you're not implying that I'm hideous."

"And if I am?"

"Then you won't be accompanying me to lunch today."

"You were gonna take me to lunch?" I asked, feeling the heat rise to my cheeks.

He nodded. "Yeah, I figured you earned it after we put your body through hell today."

"Well, I'm flattered, Mr. Rollins," I said teasingly, linking my arm with his. He chuckled and pressed his lips against my temple, which only made me blush even more than I already was… and I really hoped he didn't notice.

* * *

"Man, I've got the hunger of a beast," I declared, before taking a bite of my Famous Star burger. Luckily for us, there were a lot of restaurants and fast food joints by the Performance Center and Seth surprised me by taking me to one of my favorites; Carl's Jr.

"Yeah, I can tell," Seth commented before taking a seat right across from me. I wasn't about to talk with my mouth full, so my next response was to flip him the bird.

"Just name a time and place and I'm all yours, Monroe," he replied, wagging his brows suggestively.

I swallowed the contents of my burger and laughed. "Don't start something you can't finish, Sethie."

He smirked. "I never do, sweetheart. You should know that by now."

"So," I said, quickly changing the subject. "I know I didn't get a chance to tell Dean and Roman this earlier, but I just want you to know how much I appreciate you guys recruiting me. I was really close to just throwing in the towel, you know."

"That would've been really devastating," he said, casually stealing one of my fries and plopping it into his mouth. "After what I saw today, I know we made the right decision by choosing you."

"And I'd say that deserves a toast," I quipped, raising my cup.

"A toast to The Killer Queen," he grinned, clinking his bottle against my cup.

I laughed. "And The Shield."

"And The Shield."

* * *

I trained long and hard with the boys during any free time I had those next few weeks. When November 18th finally arrived, I was fucking game. Survivor Series was my last chance at proving that I wasn't a joke, and that I was ready to make a statement and show the WWE Universe who I really was.

I stood in front of a floor length mirror in the Divas locker room and took in my appearance. I wanted to look as deadly and cunning as possible and I'd say I accomplished that. Sandra, the seamstress for WWE, had really outdone herself this time. My Survivor Series look consisted of black leather bolero-style crop top, black leggings with metal eyelets and lacing on the sides, and black combat boots with studs along the straps. I accessorized with a black choker that had a silver linked chain and a heart padlock attached to it and black fingerless fishnet gloves. My makeup was dark and sultry and my hair was teased and curled.

"Time to go chew bubblegum and kick ass," I stated, adjusting my top. "Too bad I'm all out of bubblegum."

My heart was racing as I made my way down the corridor, but I knew I had to get it together and fast. I took a few deep breaths to calm down as I rounded the corner to the lobby area of the arena. I couldn't help but smile once I saw that the guys were already standing there with their game faces on.

"Nice," Seth commented, giving me a once over before turning his attention to all of us. "Alright, you guys remember the plan, right?"

"Yeah, we're gonna let them fight it out for the first ten to fifteen minutes or so," Dean said, rubbing his hands together.

"And when Seth gives the signal, we run through the crowd and take out Ryback," Roman piped up and turned to me. "You know what to do, Monroe."

I nodded. "Yeah, deal with Cena while you guys handle Ryback. I won't let you guys down, I promise."

Seth gave me a pat on the back. "We know you won't, Vee."

* * *

 _ **A/N: I really hope you guys like this chapter! And don't worry, I promise you that things are only gonna get more exciting in chapter 3! Please review because I'd love to know what you'd think as well as any suggestions or questions you have. Oh, and if you wanted to get a better visual of Valentina's Femme Fatale finisher, just look up 'Angelina Love Break A Bitch' on YouTube. Oh, and I've also posted the link to my Polyvore account on my profile as well if you're still interested in seeing Valentina's outfits for this story. Once again, thanks to everyone that reviewed, faved, and followed!**_


	3. Survivor Series Debut

_**A/N: Hey there, my lovely readers! So, first off I just wanted to remind you all again that I posted the link to my Polyvore profile so you guys can copy and paste it into the search bar if you're interested in seeing all of Valentina's outfits, tattoos, piercings, and her apartment. Oh, and humongous thanks to wweslytherindiva for reviewing! ^_^**_

* * *

 _ **Chapter Three – Survivor Series Debut**_

* * *

" _ **Promise me you'll never change**_

 _ **Things will always be the same, the same**_

 _ **Won't be out of love again**_

 _ **I'm in your hands**_

 _ **All that I am, All I'll ever be**_

 _ **I kissed goodbye, when you said kiss me**_

 _ **All that I Am, All I'll ever be**_

 _ **I left behind when you said leave with me**_

 _ **All that I am, all that I, all that I, all that I am**_

 _ **Suddenly I'm whole again**_

 _ **Brand new me, but this old world, the same**_

 _ **You're my sun and you're my rain**_

 _ **You're all I am**_

 _ **You're all I am**_

 _ **All that I am, All I'll ever be**_

 _ **I kissed goodbye, when you said kiss me**_

 _ **All that I Am, All I'll ever be**_

 _ **I left behind when you said leave with me**_

 _ **All that I am, all that I, all that I, all that I am**_

 _ **Oh, the way you bring me back to life**_

 _ **Wouldn't trade it for the world I left behind**_

 _ **There's nothing I won't sacrifice.**_

 _ **You're all I am, tonight." All That I Am by Roxanne Emery**_

* * *

The four of us stood silently as we surveyed the match happening just a few feet away from us. We'd quietly entered through one of the doorways on the floor level when the match started, and now were currently biding our time, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike.

That opportunity came when Ryback snatched Cena up and draped him over his shoulders. He marched around the ring, and after a couple seconds, hit Cena with Shell Shocked.

"Now, now, now!" Seth urgently said, motioning for us to run like the wind. And that's exactly what we did. Then we leapt over the barricade and slid into the ring.

"What in the world?! What is this?!" Jerry 'The King' Lawler exclaimed as Roman, Dean and Seth immediately started pummeling Ryback.

"What is this?!" Michael Cole shouted. "Wait a minute… Is that who I think it is?! That's Valentina Monroe from NXT!"

"You bet your ass it is!" I yelled at him, before turning my attention to Cena, who was in the corner still trying to recover from Ryback's finisher.

Smirking, I backed up until I was against the turnbuckles at the opposite end of the ring. I got into a crouching position. Slowly but surely, Cena managed to get to his feet and I immediately charged towards him. My shoulders slammed against his stomach as I tackled him and forced him down to the mat, delivering a pretty impactful spear if I did say so myself. I made a mental note to thank Roman later for that.

Turning my head, I looked over to see that Dean and Seth had dragged Ryback out of the ring and were still hitting him with countless blows whilst Roman started to clear the announcer's table.

I rolled out of the ring to help him as JBL, Jerry, and Michael moved back (smart move on their part) and continued to yell out in shock.

"And the man clearing things out here, he was a foot away from me… That's Roman Reigns!" Michael shouted in disbelief. "Roman Reigns from NXT! What's he doing here?!"

 _Don't worry, Michael, you'll find out soon enough,_ I thought with a giggle as Dean and Seth grabbed Ryback. I kicked away the last remains of the equipment from announcer's table before stepping out of their way.

Dean and Seth positioned Ryback in front of Roman and then Dean draped Ryback's right arm over his shoulder while Seth did the same with his left arm. They lifted him up and wrapped his legs around Roman's neck.

"HELL YEAH!" I screamed as they triple powerbombed Ryback straight through the announcer's table. I smirked down at his now unconscious body and kicked him in the ribs one last time for good measure.

Seth wrapped an arm around my shoulder as we all turned around to see Punk crawling back into the ring and over to Cena's unconscious form. This was a Triple Threat match, which meant that there weren't any disqualifications. He raised Cena's leg and got the three count.

We'd done our part, and now it was time for us to get the hell outta dodge.

* * *

I glanced down at my phone and immediately got on Twitter as we made our way down the corridor. My lips curled into a grin when I saw all the tweets from my fans asking me why I did it (while others praised my new persona) and then there were tweets from some of the Divas demanding who the hell I thought I was and what the hell I was I doing here. They wanted an answer, so I was gonna give them one, but I was gonna keep it short and sweet. They'd get an explanation in due time.

 _ **TheKillerQueenOfWWE: Now that's making a statement no one will ever forget! Don't worry; you'll all get an explanation… soon enough. TheDeanAmbrose WWERollins WWERomanReigns #GoodGirlGoneBad #BelieveInTheKillerQueen #JusticeIsHere**_

"Damn, everyone's really talking about us, huh?" Seth chuckled as he looked over my shoulder. "Holy shit, your fans are losing their minds over this!"

"They'll get over it," I replied with a shrug and shoved my phone inside the right side of my boot.

"Or else they'll be answering to us," Dean grinned mischievously.

"Somehow I highly doubt they'd want to do that after what you guys just did," I retorted as we stopped in front of the Divas locker room.

"Your spear's definitely improved, by the way," Roman piped up. "I wouldn't be surprised if Cena's got some broken ribs now."

I crossed my arms and laughed. "Well, I learned from the best. Actually… second best."

He quirked a brow. "Excuse me, Monroe?"

"Sorry, Roro, but Edge's spear will always be number one in my book. He's the reason why I started using it in the first place," I said.

"It's true," Seth affirmed. "There was this one time her and I had an Attitude Era marathon at her place and she screamed every time Edge hit someone with a spear and wouldn't shut up about how much she loved and respected him."

"And my love and respect for him skyrocketed right after he said this line," I said, before clearing my throat and lowering my voice, "Oh, there it is; the Cena family room… and the John Cena wall of CRAP!"

Dean and Seth started laughing and even Roman cracked a small smile.

"Yeah, that was a great segment, especially when he slapped the taste out of Cena's dad's mouth right before he left!" Dean said, in between laughs.

"Down goes Cena! Down goes Cena!" Seth snickered. "You have no idea how badly I wanted to chant that after you speared him, Valentina."

"And on that note, I'm gonna go throw some clothes on and grab my stuff," I said, turning towards the door.

"Make it quick," Roman said. "They're most likely looking for us by now and we've done enough fighting for tonight."

"Hey Sethie, since you're pretty quick when it comes to getting ready, why don't you give her a hand, hmm?" Dean suggested, playfully nudging Seth. "I mean, the clothes she's wearing sure look awfully tight, like she'd need another person to 'help' her get out of them…"

Seth's cheeks flushed and he raised his hand and slapped Dean upside the head. "You're such a prick sometimes, Ambrose!"

"… Yeah, I'll just let you two work this one out," I muttered before disappearing inside the locker room and closing the door behind me.

After rummaging through my bag for a goof five minutes, I managed to fish out a black studded biker-style jacket, a v-neck t-shirt that featured the legendary Master Marksman Clint Barton on the front (Marvel FTW!), black coated skinny jeans, and black suede over-the-knee heeled boots with spikes along the back.

Pulling my hair into a messy ponytail, I tossed my bag over my shoulder and pushed the locker room door open.

* * *

"Took you long enough, Monroe," Dean said smugly, as I walked into the parking garage. "Nice heels, you want us to drop you off at the nearest street corner? If you catch my drift…"

"Or I could Sin City your ass and you'll be spending the next several hours having these spikes surgically removed from your face," I retorted, opening the trunk of Seth's car and tossing my bag inside.

"Burn," Roman muttered under his breath.

Dean rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "If that was supposed to scare me then you've failed miserably, darlin'. I've endured some pretty sick injuries, and having some spikes removed from my face definitely wouldn't count as the worst."

"Whatever, you're still an asshole, and I say that with love," I said sarcastically, grabbing the trunk latch.

"Here, let me give you a hand," Seth said, walking over to me. "Sometimes this trunk has a mind of its own and getting it to stay closed is a real pain in the ass." His fingertips brushed against mine as he placed his hands on the latch and sufficiently slammed it down.

"Wow, looks like Crossfit's really paid off for you," I commented, nodding my head in approval.

" _Wow, looks like Crossfit's really paid off for you,"_ Dean mimicked. "Jesus, get a room already!"

"SHUT UP, DEAN!" Seth and I yelled in unison.

"What do you know, they even finish each other's sentences," Roman snorted, climbing into the passenger's side of the car.

* * *

 _ **Raw**_

 _ **November 19th, 2012**_

 _ **Wright State University's Nutter Center**_

 _ **Dayton, Ohio**_

"LET ME GO, SETH! I'M GONNA TAKE THAT RAT-FACED DICKDEAD TO SIN CITY!" I screamed, thrashing in his arms.

The reason for my tirade you may ask? Well, apparently Ryback wasn't too happy that he got put through a table last night (then again, who could blame him?) so he decided to come out and vent his anger to the WWE Universe by calling us CM Punk's mercenaries and saying that he was the predator and that us, along with CM Punk, were his prey. Then he decided to add more fuel to the fire by calling me a quote-unquote 'no-talent, little skank who's only here because she had a "private meeting" with CM Punk and those hired goons of his'.

"Calm the fuck down!" Seth snapped, tightening his grip on my body. "You can't let him get you all riled up right now! Trust me, he's just dug a bigger hole for himself, and if he dares interrupt Punk's celebration tonight, which he most definitely will, we're all gonna go out there and show him why you don't fuck with The Hounds of Justice."

"We fucking better," I snapped. "Because he just booked himself two tickets to Sin City and Triple Powerbomb City." **  
**

A couple hours later, CM Punk and Paul Heyman came out. I suppressed the urge to stuff two giant cotton balls in my ears as Heyman went on and on about how invincible Punk was and how he was better than Hall of Famers like Hulk Hogan and Bruno Sammartino.

Punk grinned and lifted the microphone to his lips. "Thank you. Thank you very much for setting this all up, Paul. I appreciate it. You know, a lot of people ask me very important questions, specifically about my title reign is as historic and epic as it is, one of the more frequent ones they ask me is: what my most important victory has been. Before last night, I'd be hard pressed to come up with every single one because let's be honest, there's been a lot of victories. But last night at Survivor series, beating Ryback and John Cena single handily in the same match, number one with a bullet!"

"Correction: WE beat Ryback and Cena; you're fucking welcome, Punk!" I spat, clenching my fists in irritation. I couldn't fucking believe this moron was taking all the credit for something that we did!

"And I'll tell you why, it's because nobody thought I could win!" Punk said smugly, now turning his attention to the crowd. "All of you! Maybe it's because you're losers yourself, thought _I_ was going to lose, I don't know. Only two people believed I could pull off the impossible and they're both standing in this ring. With the odds stacked up against me like they've never been stacked up against me before, CM Punk, your WWE Champion, cemented and survived Survivor Series-"

 _FEED. ME. MORE!_

As soon as Ryback's music hit, we all bolted out of the room and made a beeline for the arena. Ryback managed to reach the end of the ramp before we jumped over the barricade and pounced on him.

We were able to get some good shots in before Ryback started to fight back. He grabbed Roman and threw him against the barricade. Since his back was turned, I took that opportunity to execute a Sin City. My heel connected with his back and he stumbled forward. Since he was a lot bigger than I was, it didn't do a ton of damage, but it definitely stunned him.

"Welcome to Sin City, Big Guy!" I shouted, jumping on top of him again and punching him everywhere I could.

With a grunt, he brought his head upward and slammed his forehead against mine. Then he seized a handful of my hair, yanking me upwards to a standing position. His arm slammed against my throat, delivering a ferocious clothesline that sent me spiraling backwards right over the barricade.

I gritted my teeth for a moment and tried to block out the pain that instantly coursed through my body. Ragged breaths left my mouth as I reached up to grab onto the barricade for support. Pulling myself up, I blinked a few times to focus on what the guys were doing to Ryback.

They'd pulled Ryback out of the ring again and Seth and Dean were relentlessly punching and kicking him. Roman started to clear off the announce table again as Cole and Lawler fearfully moved out of his way.

They hoisted Ryback up and triple powerbombed him through the announce table. Laughing, I climbed over the barricade and walked over to them, clapping as I did so. Seth looked over at me and wrapped an arm around my shoulder to support me since I was still in pain.

"For what it's worth, he got the ass kicking of a lifetime right after he clotheslined you, I made sure of that," Seth assured me, moving a stand of hair out of my face.

"Good, the fucker really had it coming," I mumbled, leaning against him. "Next time though, I'm gonna make sure to aim for his head when I hit him with a Sin City and then you guys can play soccer with it once I knock it off."

"Duly noted." Seth smirked and tightened his hold on me a little as he helped me walk up the steel steps.

We all held victorious smirks on our faces as we stood in the middle of the ring. The crowd erupted into boos and we looked around.

When I looked over my shoulder, I saw that Punk had already stepped out of the ring and knelt by Ryback.

"Best in the world!" he shouted, thrusting his championship into the air.

* * *

My phone buzzed loudly the next morning, successfully waking me up. I'd barely gotten any sleep last night due to the fact that my body was still a bit sore, which is why I was somewhat glad we weren't scheduled to do Smackdown tonight.

Rolling over, I picked up my phone and unlocked it to see a text from Seth.

 _ **Hey, beautiful. How are you feeling? If you're up for it, I was wondering if you'd like to go for a morning run with me at Brighton beach? If you're still sore, then we can just watch some movies on Netflix at your place if you want.**_

 _I still feel a little sore, but it's nothing a few Advil tablets can't fix. Just let me wake up and get ready and I'll meet you there in an hour and a half (since it's a good thirty minutes away from where I live and all). Try not to powerbomb anyone in the meantime. ;)_

 _ **No promises, Monroe. ;D**_

Laughing softly, I tossed my duvet off me and lurched out of bed. By the time I'd ate breakfast, taken some Advil and showered it was eight o'clock. I quickly pulled on a black tank top that said ' _Hell In High Heels'_ , high waist black capris, and black and white Nikes. Rather than throwing my hair into my usual messy ponytail, I decided to channel my inner Katniss and French braid it.

I tossed my phone into my black and silver Victoria's Secret PINK gym bag and hurried out the door. The last thing I wanted was to hear Seth tease me about how long I took to get ready, especially this early in the morning.

* * *

Considering there was hardly anyone at the beach at this hour, it didn't take long for me to spot Seth, and when I did, I had to prevent my ovaries from exploding on the spot. His two-toned hair was fastened into a man-bun… and he had decided to go shirtless for this workout.

 _Don't fucking stare at his abs, don't fucking stare at his abs, DON'T. FUCKING. STARE. AT. HIS. ABS!_

While trying my hardest to keep my thoughts at bay, I cleared my throat to get his attention. He turned around and smiled at me.

"Hey you," he greeted me and pulled me into a quick hug. Even at 5'8, he still towered over me, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't find it cute.

"Ready for me to finally beat you?" I joked, once we pulled apart.

He gave me a cheeky grin. "Hell no, Vee. I've outran you more times than I can count, what makes you think you're gonna get lucky today?"

"Because I've got a three second head start," I said matter-of-factly.

"Come agai-"

Before he could finish his statement, I whipped around and sprinted as fast as I could. Yeah, it was a dick move on my part, but dammit, I wasn't about to let the two-toned ninja add another fucking tally to the 'Number of Times I've Outrun the Killer Queen' board!

Six seconds went by, and then I felt Seth's breath tickle my ear. "That wasn't very nice, sweetheart," he murmured, and I felt my heart flutter.

"Well, we can't all be saints can we, Rollins?" I breathed out, trying to pick up the pace once I noticed he was starting to pass me.

"Looks like someone's struggling to keep up," Seth said teasingly. "When are you gonna learn, Vee? You can't outrun a ninja. What's next, you gonna try to take on Ronda Rousey and Chuck Norris in a two-on-one handicap match?"

"FUCK NO!" I yelled, rapidly shaking my head. "I don't have a fucking death wish! If I did that, I'd probably end up losing my elbow joint and all my organs!"

Seth just laughed in response and I playfully rolled my eyes. We raced for another twenty minutes before we both collapsed beside each other on the warm sand.

"Nothing like a good run to get the day started, huh?" I panted, my chest heaving up and down.

"Damn straight," he rasped out, and turned his head to look at me.

"Well, since we're at the beach and all…." I let my voice trail off as I dragged myself into a sitting position and pulled my tank top over my head to reveal my pink and black lace bra. "Might as well make the most of it."

"You're out of your mind, you know that, right?" Seth snorted, his eyes lingering on my cleavage.

"Nah, I think Iowa's just made you boring, Sethie," I quipped, yanking off my shoes and socks and rolling my capris down my legs, exposing my black lace panties. "And here I thought you were always up for anything."

I shot him a wink before jogging right into the freezing water. I didn't let it bother me too much though considering it'd only take my body a couple minutes to adjust to it. I dove underwater and swam out a couple more feet before surfacing again.

It was then that I heard Seth shout, "BORING, MY ASS!" behind me, which was swiftly followed by a loud splash.

He swam over to me and smirked. "You were saying?"

I raised my hand and splashed him, letting out a laugh after doing so. "Well played, Seth, you've proven that you're still as spontaneous as you were back in 2008."

"And you're still just as strong and beautiful," he replied, resting his hands on my waist, his fingers lightly skimming over my hip piercings and my belly ring. "You know, with all those tattoos and piercings you've got, you basically qualify as a human pincushion."

"Fuck you, they look amazing!" I laughed, hitting him in the chest. "From what I recall, you couldn't stop staring at the one on my lower back when you first met me."

"I never said they didn't," he quipped. "As awesome as that tattoo is though, I think your other ones are really kick ass."

I had about several tattoos and piercings total. I had a set of angel wings with a small red heart in the center of them on my lower back, and then my fangirl side really kicked in when I got the rest of my tattoos; a lady wolf on my upper left arm (inspired by Sansa Stark from Game of Thrones), and "Tell me I can't and I'll show you I can" on my feet with purple and red stars and flowers along the script. Piercing wise, I had my sternum pierced and eight studs in both my ears.

"Why, thank you," I replied, before turning my head and staring at the horizon. "This is nice, isn't it?"

He rested his chin on my shoulder and nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it really is."

* * *

"You are so lucky I decided to bring some towels," Seth said, once we were in the parking lot. I wound up putting my clothes back on due to the fact that I didn't want to walk all the way to the parking lot in nothing but my underwear. The only downside was that my clothes were now drenched.

"Always one step ahead, aren't ya?" I retorted, catching the towel when he tossed it to me and wrapped it around my body. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it," he replied, taking his phone out of his bag and looking down at it. "Welp, apparently Dean and Roman have been trying to get a hold of us all day and are on the verge of sending out a search party. Dean, being the pervert that he is, thought we were fucking at first and told me to wrap it up and not hurt you too much before Raw."

"Of course he did," I said sarcastically. "Anything else?"

"Hang on, let me check…. Oh, he also threatened to bury both of us in the Nevada desert if we continued to blow him off."

I walked over to the driver's side of my car and grinned. "Well, we'd better not keep them waiting any longer then. Roman's straight-up terrifying when he's pissed, and Dean… well, you've seen all the fucked up things he's done in CZW. I don't know about you, but I'd rather not have him go Jon Moxley on me."

* * *

 **A/N: Please review! :D Once again, the links to the trailers for this fic and the Polyvore collection are on my profile.**


	4. I Ain't The Lady To Mess With

_**A/N: Hello, my awesome readers! So, I'm not getting a ton of feedback on this, but I really would appreciate some! With that being said, I really, really want to know what you guys think of this story so far, Valentina's relationship with Seth and the boys, what you think of Valentina, etc. As I've said previously, I'm also open to any suggestions you guys have. ^_^**_

* * *

 _ **Chapter Four – I Ain't The Lady To Mess With**_

* * *

 _ **"Baby, baby when you're looking deep in my eyes**_

 _ **I know you're seeing past my make up**_

 _ **Into the little girl that used to hide out and cry**_

 _ **When her parents fought, tryin' to be strong**_

 _ **You can see the hurt in me, the cover ups so secretly**_

 _ **And all that I aspire to be, you see, you see**_

 _ **You know who I really am, no entourage or caravan**_

 _ **And do you even give a damn, about all that and tell me**_

 _ **Would you love me if I didn't work out?**_

 _ **Or I didn't change my natural hair?**_

 _ **And I could be the one you want grow older with**_

 _ **Baby, I'll give you all that I got**_

 _ **See, I don't mean to scare you now or push you away**_

 _ **'Cause I'm not tryin' to rush anything**_

 _ **But when I look into your eyes I'm not scared to say**_

 _ **I'll sit near you; I'm in the picture too**_

 _ **Like a happy family tree, we're together constantly**_

 _ **This could be eventually, we'll see, we'll see**_

 _ **But all that I have got to know, is with me baby will you grow?**_

 _ **Through sun and rain and heavy snow, oh, tell me so now, baby**_

 _ **Would you love me if I didn't work out?**_

 _ **Or I didn't change my natural hair?**_

 _ **And I could be the one you want grow older with**_

 ** _ _ **Baby, I'll give you all that I got." All I Got by Fergie feat. Will. i . am**__**

* * *

"Welcome back to the Killer Queen's Kingdom, Sethie," I said jokingly as we entered my apartment.

"I don't suppose the Killer Queen's got any good snacks for her favorite and loyal Architect?" Seth quipped, his smoldering brown eyes lighting up.

"Only if you're in the mood for a poison apple," I retorted. "All jokes aside, I've got some chips, ice cream, you know, all that good shit. I think we should shower first, seeing as we just got done swimming in the ocean and all."

He chuckled. "Wanna save water and take that shower together?"

"Maybe… if we can take a ride on the Milenium Falcon afterwards," I said playfully, flopping down on the living room sofa. "Alright, you know where the bathroom's at, I'm gonna text Roman and Dean and tell them we wanna Skype them once we're all cleaned up."

"Works for me," he replied. "Oh, and just remember… I'm still your only hope, Princess Leia." He winked at me and then disappeared down the hall.

I couldn't help but smile whenever he called me that. Being a Star Wars fan had its perks, and having Seth refer to me as Princess Leia was one of them. Out of all the nicknames Seth had given me over the past four years, Poison Ivy and Princess Leia were probably the ones I loved the most.

I fished through my bag and pulled out my phone to see five missed calls and a shit ton of texts from Roman and Dean.

Roman's texts consisted of the following: _**Valentina, where the hell are you and Seth at? Dean and I have been trying to reach you for the last hour now!**_

 _ **Valentina, if you don't pick up the goddamn phone there's gonna be a spear with your name on it!**_

 _ **Baby girl, I'm starting to get worried now. Should I send out a search party? Because I'm beginning to think you and Seth got kidnapped and are being held for ransom by the fucking mob or something! You're in Brooklyn, it's possible!**_

However, his were subtle compared to Dean's: _**Valentina Ava Monroe, I know you're a little "occupied" with Sethie and all, but a little heads up would've been nice!**_

 _ **Valentina, you should know by now that I am NOT a patient man, therefore, if you don't call me back or answer our texts, I will be forced to bring out Jon Moxley and hunt your pretty little ass down.**_

 _ **MONROE, I'M AWARE OF THE FUCKING FACT THAT YOU AND SETH HAVE A LOT OF SEXUAL TENSION YOU'VE JUST BEEN DYING TO RELEASE, BUT DO IT SOME OTHER FUCKING TIME! THIS IS IMPORTANT, GODDAMMIT!**_

 _ **Alright, darlin', I really didn't want to do this, but you've forced my hand. They won't find yours and Seth's bodies until they've already rotted in the Nevada desert soil. Trust me, I work out in the Nevada desert, there's plenty of places I could bury you both!**_

"It's official, I'm dealing with Bane and the Joker," I mumbled, before pulling up the 'new message' option and typing Dean and Roman's names in.

 _Chill the fuck out guys! If you must know, Seth and I were at the beach and we left our phones in our cars! And no, Dean, we did not fuck while we were at the beach either! Jesus, okay, Seth's in the shower right now and I'm gonna do the same once he gets out. We'll Skype the two of you once we look decent._

It didn't take long for either of them to reply.

 _ **Alright, baby girl. Just let us know.**_

 _ **Pssh, don't hold your breath, Ro. She's probably gonna end up taking that shower with Rollins.**_

 _DEAN AMBROSE, YOU'RE FUCKING LUCKY WE'RE NOT IN THE SAME STATE RIGHT NOW OR ELSE I WOULD TRACK YOU DOWN, REACH DOWN YOUR THROAT, AND PLAY JUMP ROPE WITH YOUR INTESTINES!_

 _ **D'aww, that's the most romantic thing any woman's ever said to me. I'm touched, darlin' ;)**_

"Fucking douchebag," I muttered under my breath, and pulled up my playlist. I figured I'd listen to some tunes for the time being. Plugging my Beats in, I selected 'shuffle' and propped my legs up on the couch. I felt a grin grace my lips at the sound of Brie Larson's voice.

" _Hello again, friend of a friend_

 _I knew you when_

 _Our common goal was waiting for the world to end_

 _Now that the truth is just a rule that you can bend."_

At that point, I couldn't help myself; I unplugged my earphones, cranked the volume up, and got up from the couch.

" _You crack the whip, shape-shift and trick the past again,_ " I sang along as I swayed my hips to the music. " _I'll send you my love on a wire. Lift you up, every time, everyone, ooo, pulls away, ooo. From you."_

Suddenly, I felt a fair of warm rough hands caress my waist and warm lips (along with some stubble) brush against my ear. " _Got balls of steel, got an automobile, for a minimum wage,"_ he murmured softly.

"Who the fuck gave you permission to interrupt my solo, Mr. Rollins?" I demanded playfully, laying my head against his chest, a laugh escaping my lips once I caught a glimpse of the _Glamour Kills_ logo on his shirt _._

"No one gave me permission, sweetheart," he replied, a low chuckle leaving his lips. "By the way, you did amazing. You should consider performing on Raw."

"Maybe I will, we'll see," I said with a shrug. "So, I texted Roman and dean and let them know what the plan was. I just need to shower and we'll Skype them. My laptop's underneath my bed, could you turn it on and charge it while I'm in the shower?"

He grinned mischievously. "Is your password still the same?"

I clenched my fists in irritation. "Seth, don't fucking start with me."

"So when can I get on… _Mistah J's Party List_?"

"Say another fucking word about my second favorite DC villain and I will Sin City your ass out the window and make it look like a bloody accident!"

"It was just a fucking question!"

"And you just got the answer to it! At least my password isn't _Seth Rollins Loves Crossfit_!"

Seth suddenly charged forward, tackling me on the couch and tickling my sides. "Take it back, Monroe!"

"N-Never!" I said, in-between giggles. "S-SETH! STOOOOPPPPPP!"

"Nope! You've gotta take it back and say that Crossfit is the best workout routine known to man."

"Fuck you!"

"Buy me a drink first, then we'll talk! Now, take it back!"

"Okay! Okay! You win! Crossfit is the best workout routine known to man! HAPPY?!"

He wrapped his arms around me and smiled. "Couldn't be happier, Vee."

I wiggled out of his arms and snorted. "Yeah, and that's my cue to get my ass in the shower. Try not to spam my laptop with Crossfit videos in the meantime, will ya?"

"Again, no promises."

Once I'd showered and thrown some clothes on, I joined Seth in the living room and pulled up Skype on my laptop. Seth had already texted them again and let them know we were online so it only took about a minute or two for Roman to answer our call, with Dean sitting right next to him.

"Alright guys, what's going on?" Seth asked.

"We just got a voicemail from Vickie, she said Michael Cole wants us to do an interview with him on Raw," Roman informed us.

I snorted. "Let me guess, he wants to know what our motives are and why we're here."

"Sounds like it," Dean scoffed. "It's not that hard to figure out though. We're here to cleanse this company of all its injustice. Plain and simple."

Seth rolled his eyes. "Well, if it's an interview he wants, then we'll give it to him."

I laid my head on Seth's shoulder and giggled. "Amen to that."

"Jesus, it's like watching a car wreck, you want to look away, but you can't," Dean said sarcastically.

"Lighten up a little, bro, I think it's kinda cute… in a stereotypical, cheesy romance novel kinda way," Roman snickered.

"And I shall be hanging up now before I start spitting out more gruesome threats," I retorted. "We'll see you guys at Raw."

* * *

 **Raw**

 **November 26th, 2012**

 **Lafayette, Louisiana**

We'd showed up at the arena prior to Raw to do the interview, and I wanted nothing more than to just get it over and done with. Then again, I told the WWE Universe that they were going to get an explanation, and this interview was the perfect opportunity to give them one.

For my interview attire, I decided on a black leather jacket with a belt attached to it, black skinny jeans with distressed ripping detail all over front and fishnet underlay, a black crop top with cutout detail along the back and a black, blue, and gray patch attached to the front that read _Hounds of Justice_ , and black suede platform stilettos with studded straps.

I completed the look by slipping on a pair of black lace fingerless gloves and a silver necklace with my name etched into it. I left my hair tousled and straight and my makeup vampy and smokey.

My heels clicked against the stone floor as the four of us entered the room the interview was taking place. The boys had decided to ditch the turtlenecks. Instead, they were now donning some pretty kickass SWAT gear, which definitely suited them more in my opinion.

Four chairs were lined up and we each took a seat across from Michael, with me sitting in between Dean and Seth and Roman sitting next to Seth.

"Dean, Valentina, Seth, Roman," Michael addressed us. "It's been my pleasure to have known you guys for a while now, and worked with you down in the developmental territory in NXT, and um, it seems a bit odd though to be conducting this interview under these circumstances. It was eight nights ago at Survivor Series, um, many people say that you cannot-"

"Many people?" Dean interjected. "Who are these people? Michael, if you've got a question to ask us… just ask."

"Okay," Michael said. "Are you four working directly for WWE Champion, CM Punk?"

"Nope," Dean quipped, pursing his lips together.

"Not at all," I said smugly, folding my arms.

"Okay. So, if you're not working for Punk, then why are you guys here?"

"Ah, that's the question, Michael," Seth piped up. "That's the question you should be asking. You see, we sat down in NXT and we saw things clearly. Crystal clear, actually. You see, everybody around here has to answer to the likes of the Vickie Guerrero's and the Booker T's, and Vickie and Booker, they have to answer to the Board of Directors and the Board of Directors ultimately has to answer to the WWE Universe. The almighty WWE Universe. What is that, Michael? "

"That's a load of crap," I huffed, shaking my head in disgust. "That's a goddamn popularity contest, which is both unfair and disgraceful. This has gone on for far too long and we're sick of it."

"We saw things heading in the wrong direction, we stepped in and righted those wrongs," Seth said, and narrowed his eyes. "Michael, we are a shield from injustice in the WWE."

"I mean, come on, guys," Michael said, rolling his eyes in disbelief. "There's no secret that everything you've done so far has benefited CM Punk!"

"Michael, it's coincidence!" Seth exclaimed. "Happenstance, ever heard of it?!"

"It's not about benefiting Punk," Dean sneered. "It's about right and wrong. CM Punk, the WWE Champion, was forced to defend his title in a Triple Threat match against two guys he'd already defeated, that's wrong."

"Which is why we stepped in," I said, matter-of-factly. "If it'd been Ryback or Cena, we would've done the same thing. If Ryback held the title for three hundred and sixty-five days and Punk tried to ruin his celebration, we would've jumped in on Ryback's behalf."

"Three hundred and sixty-five days as champion in this era, that's a huge milestone," Dean said. "That should be celebrated, right?"

Michael nodded and glanced over at Roman. "Uh, Roman? I'd like to get your take on all this."

Roman looked up and shrugged. "When I wanna say something, I'll say it."

"Look, Cole, we see where you're gettin' at, ok," Dean snapped. "We hear everything you guys are saying, we read everything that's being written, ok. We know what you guys are thinkin'. We're not renegades, we're not mercenaries, we're not the Nexus, if you're looking for the NWO, go buy the DVD! We're about principles, we're about honor, where honor no longer exists, we're gonna step in." He looked over at Seth. "It's like he said, we're a shield from injustice. We're a shield from injustice."

"We are The Shield," I affirmed.

"Okay, so-"

"Hey, hey," Roman interrupted, rising from his chair. "I've got something to say. We've said enough. This interview's over, man." He pulled off his microphone and the rest of us did the same and left the room.

* * *

Shortly after that, we found out that CM Punk was gonna be facing Kane later on, which we intended on intervening on if things got out of hand again. Just to be on the safe side, I decided to ditch my heels and change into my combat boots.

"Hey, you're Valentina, right?" I heard someone say behind me.

I finished lacing up my boots and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "Who wants to know?"

"Eve Torres, pleasure to meet you," she replied, holding out her hand, a smile faker than Regina George's plastered on her face.

Taking my foot off the bench, I glanced up at her and put my hands on my hips. "Likewise. Look, I don't mean to be rude or anything, but is there something you need? Because I don't really have time to chat."

She laughed and stepped closer to me. "I just wanted to tell you that I understand why you're here. You're just trying to make a name for yourself and earn your role as the most dominant Diva. However, I also wanted to let you know what your role in this company always has been and always will be."

Before I got a chance to protest, her hand swiftly connected with my cheek. I had to hand it to her, she knew how to slap, but what I was about to do to her was far worse.

Giggling, I moved some hair out of my eyes and turned my head to face her. "Oh, sweetie, you've just gone and done the dumbest thing in your whole fucking life."

I rushed forward, spearing her right onto the stone floor and relentlessly driving my fist into her face, furiously screaming as I did so.

She screamed and managed to shove me off her. Then she seized my arms and threw me against one of the lockers. "Do you know who I am?! Huh?! How dare you!" She yelled in my face, anger evident in her eyes.

I tried to block out the pain that surged through my back as my foot shot out, striking her in the gut and causing her to stumble backwards. I took advantage of this by quickly getting to my feet, grabbing a fistful of her hair and hurling her face first against the wall. Then I retaliated by snatching her by the hair again and slamming her head against the makeup table.

"Don't you EVER cross me again, you little bitch!" I roared in her face, my hands wrapping around her throat. "You hear me?! EVER! This is MY Kingdom now!"

"GET OFF ME!" She shrieked, slapping me across the face again –even harder this time, I might add- which forced me to release my grip on her.

She wasted no time in running out of the room, screaming that I was a psychopath and that I wasn't gonna get away with his.

Still dazed from the slap, I stumbled out of the locker room and glared at her retreating figure. "YEAH, YOU BETTER RUN, YOU LITTLE BITCH!" I yelled, breathing heavily.

"Well, would you look at that? She's already making friends," Dean snickered behind me.

I felt Seth's hands on my shoulders and he turned me around to face him, concern evident in his eyes. "What happened, Vee? You said you were just gonna change your shoes, not get into a brawl with the Divas champion!"

"You don't know what she fucking did to me, Seth!" I argued. "She slapped me and basically implied that my role in this company always has been and always will be her bitch! Excuse me for having a fucking backbone!"

"She's got a point there, man," Roman said. "Jesus, Vee, what in the devil did you do to her? I could hear you screaming all the way down the hall!"

"I just gave her exactly what she deserved," I replied. "She got a few good hits in, but I didn't let that stop me from spearing her and slamming her head against the wall and the makeup table."

"You sure you're alright?" Seth pressed, bringing his hands up to cup my face. "I don't want you to come out with us tonight if you're not a hundred percent."

"Trust me, I'm fine," I replied with a nod. "Now, let's go out there and serve up some cold, hard justice."

* * *

And we did just that as the night rolled on. Punk's opponent for tonight was the Big Red Machine himself; Kane. We all stood at opposite sides of the barricades, our eyes locked firmly on the two men duking it out in the ring.

Seth motioned for us to move closer as Punk hit Kane with GTS and went for the cover. The ref called for the bell as Punk picked up the win. That's when Seth and Dean jumped over the barricade and climbed onto the apron. Roman and I followed suit and hopped onto the apron on the opposite side of the ring.

We stayed focused on Punk as we stepped through the ropes, and Punk slowly backed into one of the turnbuckles.

Then, without warning, we turned and ran towards Kane, unleashing various blows and kicks anywhere we could.

"And now the attack on Kane!" Michael Cole yelled. "A four-on-one assault again on Kane! By this group known as The Shield!"

Through my peripheral, I saw Punk quietly roll out of the ring, and another man sprint down the ramp…. Daniel –fucking- Brian. Should've known he'd find a way to get involved in this, but his efforts were about to be in vain.

"Not today, Goatboy!" I spat, launching myself forward and taking him down with a spear. Scrambling to my feet, I raised my foot and rammed it into his stomach, with Seth, Roman and Dean quickly doing the same as we all backed him into a corner.

Bryan tried to get up, only for Seth to hit him with an enziguiri. Roman and Dean turned to Kane again and started slugging him again.

 _FEED. ME. MORE!_

"Fucking really?!" I screeched in irritation as the Big Guy marched down the ramp. Fear flashed in Punk's eyes and he promptly ran towards the barricade, leaping over it and leaving us to fend for ourselves.

"Chicken shit," I snarled under my breath, before turning my attention to Ryback.

He slid into the ring and we instantly jumped on him again, continuing the same beating we'd given him before. Our beat down on him was cut short when he suddenly stood up and shoved all of us back. Dean ran towards him and his fist connected with Dean's head. Then he hit Roman in the face with his elbow, sufficiently taking them both out.

Seth went for another enziguiri, but Ryback was quicker. He grabbed Seth's leg, lifted him up on his shoulders, and delivered a powerbomb.

"YOU DOUCHE MUFFIN!" I yelled, diving forward in an attempt to hit him with a clothesline. Huge mistake.

Ryback caught my arm and hoisted me up on his shoulders. I didn't even have a chance to fight back because my back was swiftly smashed into the mat. A strangled cry emitted from my throat as I writhed on the mat. My body felt like I'd just been chucked through a brick wall and I knew for a fact that I was gonna feel even worse later on.

Punk dove back into the ring and shoved Ryback, but Ryback abruptly whirled around and grabbed him. He went for Shell Shocked, but Roman put a stop to that by spearing him.

"Vee, you okay?" Seth whispered, carefully wrapping his arms around me and helping me sit up. "Look at me, I wanna make sure you're not concussed."

"I'm gonna rip his fucking head off," I bit out, staggering to my feet. Roman walked over and helped both of us up while Dean incessantly punched the shit out of Ryback in the corner.

"Get him up! Get him up!" Roman ordered Seth and Dean. They nodded and hoisted him up onto Roman's shoulders and delivered another ruthless triple powerbomb. I wasn't satisfied yet though.

Grabbing Ryback's, arm, I hauled him upward into an inverted facelock. Keeping him in place, I spun my body sideways, twisting him into a rolling cutter and driving him back-first into the mat. This was another finisher of mine that I called The Hard Goodbye.

Slowly, I pulled my body upwards to see the smirking faces of my teammates. Seth raised my hand as we all stood in the middle of the ring once again.

* * *

 _ **TheKillerQueenOfWWE:**_ _**There are things in life that I will NOT tolerate. One, being slapped in the face by some cheap, plastic mannequin. Two, being powerbombed by a gerbil-faced troglodyte. You mess with me and you've officially crossed the border into Hurtville. Those two learned the hard way. #IAin'tTheLadyToMessWith #BelieveInTheShield #You'reAllAnInjustice**_

After sending the tweet, I pressed another ice pack to my back. This having been my second one tonight. Normally I was used to travelling by myself (or with Seth) and staying in my own hotel room, but the boys informed me after the show that I'd been rooming with them from now on, which I didn't mind one bit.

We'd gotten two rooms, with Seth and I staying in one room and Dean and Roman staying in the adjoining room.

I wasn't opposed to Seth and I sharing a room together, we'd shared hotel rooms multiple times whenever we traveled together. Not to mention, waking up to him always made my day a lot better.

"Hey, you," I whispered, resting my chin on his bare chest. "How'd you sleep?"

"Good morning sweetheart," he said softly, tucking some hair behind my ear. "I slept fine, thank God we both took advantage of all those pain pills and ice last night, huh?"

"Hell yeah," I said with a smirk. "But there's one thing I want to do to you before we leave this room."

A devilish grin graced his features as he trailed his fingers along my thigh. "And what might that be?"

"This." I snatched the pillow he was laying on out from underneath him and proceeded to repeatedly whack him with it. "Consider this payback for tickling me, Rollins!"

"I don't think so, Monroe!" He jolted upward and grabbed me by the waist and pulled me down… right on top of him.

He tightened his hold on my waist and laughed. "Guess it's time for me to add another tally to the 'Valentina Owned Count' board. What is this, the thousandth one?"

"Congratulations Rollins, you just gave me even more motivation to kick your ass in training today," I retorted. "Although, if you're willing to take back what you just said then maybe I'll consider letting you leave the ring with all your limbs intact."

"Not gonna happen, sweetheart," he said lowly, before bring his lips up to peck my cheek. "Nice try though, now let's see you can back those words up."

* * *

About thirty minutes into the session, Seth and I were really pushing ourselves to the limit. Dean and Roman were on their way, having decided to grab a small breakfast first.

Bouncing off the ropes, I twisted my body and took Seth down with a springboard roundhouse kick. I then grabbed him by the hair and wrapped my arm around his neck, dragging us down in a neckbreaker.

I then bent over to grab him again, but he caught me off guard by elbowing me in the stomach. Not telling up, he wrapped his left arm around my neck and trapped me in a three-quarter facelock. While still maintaining the facelock, he backflipped over me and landed face down to the mat, ramming me back-first down onto the mat and executing the Sethwalker.

Our breathing came out in slow, ragged breaths and Seth crawled closer until he was hovering over me. His eyes gazed into mine and I felt my cheeks heat up again while my heart kicked into overdrive.

A few moments passed, the two of us staying in that position, not saying a word. Seth slowly raised his hand to gently caress my cheek. That's when I knew that training was now the last thing on our minds.

"Your eyes are absolutely stunning," he said softly. "I never noticed until now."

"Yours aren't too bad either, Seth," I replied, swallowing thickly.

He studied my face for about five more seconds before slowly dipping his head. Closing my eyes, I snaked my arms around his neck. His lips just barely grazed mine when I heard an all too familiar Cincinnati accent fill the Performance Center.

"It's about fucking time!" Dean called out, an amused smirk on his face, causing us to break apart and stand up.

"Hey, hey, don't stop on our account," Roman said with a grin. "Just go back to what you were doing and we'll go hang out or something."

"No, no, it's fine," I replied quickly, shaking my head. "L-look, I left my water bottle in the locker room, just let me get it and we can continue with the session."

Rolled out of the ring, I pushed past them and hastily made my way to the locker room. That's I when heard Seth say, "I swear, you two are like giant cock-blocking robots, like, developed in a secret fucking government lab."

Normally, I would've laughed at a comment like that, but right now my mind was completely frazzled. All this time I'd been afraid to tell Seth how I felt because I didn't think he'd feel the same way, but what just happened a few seconds ago proved otherwise.

My train of thought came to a halt when I heard my phone vibrating in my locker. I unlocked the screen to see a new Tweet from the Black Widow; AJ Lee.

 _ **WWEAJLee: TheKillerQueenOfWWE Alright, Monroe, you want a challenge? Consider it accepted. You vs. me next week on Smackdown. Just don't start crying when I break your tiara.**_

"Well, well, well, looks like I've got a crazy chick to deal with," I said sarcastically, rolling my eyes. "Honey, the only one that's gonna be crying is you, because I'm about to shred you with my tiara."

* * *

 _ **A/N: I really hope you guys liked this chapter! Oh, and don't forget to review and check out my polyvore collection (once again, the link to it is on my profile). I also wanted to let you all know that I started school this week, so updates are unfortunately gonna be slower than usual.**_


	5. To Tell or Not To Tell?

_**A/N:**_ _Hey there, guys! So, first and foremost, I wanna thank everyone that's faved and followed this story, it really means a lot to me and it only gives me that much more motivation. I also wanted to mention one minor change to this chapter, and that's that Valentina will be making her debut on Raw instead of Smackdown, mostly because I thought her official debut would be more impactful this way._ _Oh, and here's the references from the previous chapter:_

' _Mistah J's Party List' is a reference to the amazing Harley Quinn in Batman: Arkham Asylum. "You two are like giant cock-blocking robots, like, developed in a secret fucking government lab." is a homage to the movie Zombieland (and is probably one of the funniest lines in the movie). And finally, the title of the previous chapter is also a homage to Victoria's old theme song._

 _ **raaeebrucee –**_ _Thank you so much! I really wanted Valentina to have they fiery, headstrong personality and I'm really glad you like her attitude. I also read your story Bad Girl's World and I really enjoyed it! I love her rivalry with Seth on-screen and her relationship with Colby off-screen. They're perfect together! :D_

* * *

 _ **Chapter Five – To Tell or Not To Tell?**_

* * *

" _ **You never put your love out on the line**_

 _ **You never said yes to the right guy**_

 _ **You never had trouble getting what you want**_

 _ **But when it comes to you, I'm never good enough**_

 _ **When I don't care**_

 _ **I can play 'em like a Ken doll**_

 _ **Won't wash my hair**_

 _ **Then make 'em bounce like a basketball**_

 _ **But you**_

 _ **Make (you) me wanna act like a girl**_

 _ **Paint my nails and wear high heels**_

 _ **For you**_

 _ **You make me so nervous**_

 _ **That I just can't hold your hand**_

 _ **You make me glow**_

 _ **But I cover up**_

 _ **Won't let it show**_

 _ **So I'm putting my defenses up**_

 _ **'Cause I don't wanna fall in love**_

 _ **If I ever did that**_

 _ **I think I'd have a heart attack**_

 _ **I think I'd have a heart attack**_

 _ **I think I'd have a heart attack**_

 _ **Never break a sweat for the other guys**_

 _ **When ya come around, I get paralyzed**_

 _ **And everytime I try to be myself**_

 _ **It comes out wrong like a cry for help**_

 _ **It's just not fair**_

 _ **Brings more trouble than it all is worth**_

 _ **I gasp for air**_

 _ **It feels so good, but you know it hurts**_

 _ **But you**_

 _ **Make (you) me wanna act like a girl**_

 _ **Paint my nails and wear perfume**_

 _ **For you**_

 _ **You make me so nervous**_

 _ **That I just can't hold your hand**_

 _ **You make me glow**_

 _ **But I cover up**_

 _ **Won't let it show**_

 _ **So I'm putting my defenses up**_

 _ **'Cause I don't wanna fall in love**_

 _ **If I ever did that**_

 _ **I think I'd have a heart attack**_

 _ **I think I'd have a heart attack**_

 _ **I think I'd have a heart attack**_

 _ **The feelings got lost in my lungs**_

 _ **They're burning, I'd rather be numb**_

 _ **And there's no one else to blame**_

 _ **So scared I'll take off and run**_

 _ **I'm flying too close to the sun**_

 _ **And I burst into flames." Heart Attack (cover) by Sam Tsui and Chrissy Costanza**_

* * *

After the whole gym fiasco, I tried my hardest to forget about it and say focused on other things, such as the rest of the house shows we were booked to do for the next few days, my first official photo shoot, and numerous meet and greets. To my dismay, even after I'd done all of those things, my "almost kiss" with Seth still lingered on my mind, constantly reminding me of how I needed to tell him.

Deep down, part of me wanted so desperately to just tell him that I'd been in love with him for well over four years now, but then I feel myself put up this wall in fear of getting hurt.

Don't get me wrong, I had a reason –which I'd rather not go into detail at the moment- for being afraid to take a chance and let Seth in. He truly was an amazing man. My whole world changed the moment he came into my life. Whether we were training together or spending the day listening to his favorite bands at his loft in Davenport, or playing WWF No Mercy and various Mario games on my Nintendo 64 at my Brooklyn apartment, we were practically inseparable.

Following our last house show for the week, I grabbed my black Moschino suitcase and headed towards the parking garage, trying my hardest to block out the throbbing pain in my back, which was due to Ryback hitting me with Shell Shocked. His own little way of getting even with me after I hit him with The Hard Goodbye on Raw. Asshole.

"You look like hell," Dean commented as we walked alongside each other, trailing behind Seth and Roman.

"I just got Shell Shocked, give me a break," I hissed, scraping my nails against the handle of my suitcase. "Pardon me for not being a fuckin' T-1000 liquid metal terminator cockroach like you, Deano."

Dean let out a chuckle and slung an arm around my shoulder. "That's the beauty of this business, darlin', you get to fight almost every single night until your face is all bloody, until your body's battered, and until you're physically drained, but even then, you still pick yourself up and keep on fighting. It's what we do."

"Jesus, Dean, you sound like you're trying to make her as lethal as all the Divas from the Attitude Era," Roman joked, glancing over his shoulder.

"She's pretty damn close to it," Seth piped up. "Her most lethal match was probably against this girl named Heather back in 2009."

Dean smirked. "Now, this I gotta hear. Tell us, Sethie, what did sweet little Valentina do to her? Rip her hair extensions out?"

Seth shook his head. "No, much worse. She climbed to the top turnbuckle and waited until Heather got on the apron again and hit her with a diving hurricanrana right outside the ring."

Roman stopped dead in his tracks and quirked a brow. "I've gotta say, you're a lot tougher than I thought, Monroe. You're definitely not afraid to take things to the next level."

"Hey, I didn't get into this business to sit on my ass and look pretty," I retorted, popping the trunk open and loading my suitcase inside. "I wouldn't be here if I wasn't willing to put my body on the line every single night. This is my life, and I wouldn't change it for the world."

Dean mockingly clapped his hands and dragged his finger down his face, pretending to wipe away a tear. "And the Slammy for the most motivating speech of the year goes to… Valentina Monroe!"

"And the award for the biggest fucking tool of 2012 goes to… Dean Ambrose!" I shot back with a smirk, folding my arms.

Roman snickered and playfully nudged Seth. "You better get your girl, man, before she tries to break Dean's spine again."

Dean's nostrils flared and he gritted his teeth together. "Shut up! She got lucky!"

Rolling my eyes, I walked over to Dean and wrapped my arm around his neck, locking him in a headlock. "What about now, Deano? Hmm? Am I still getting lucky?"

Dean struggled in my grip for around three, maybe four seconds at most before chuckling softly and lowering his head so he was basically nuzzling my breasts. "You keep me in this position any longer, darlin', and you may just end up gettin' lucky. Don't worry, I'll make sure to buy you a drink first."

"Dean, I swear to all that is holy…." I snarled.

Dean chuckled again and brought his hand up, roughly grabbing one of my breasts. "Even bigger than I remembered. Sethie's a very lucky man."

I promptly let go of him –making sure to slap him with full force after doing so- before rubbing my chest and scowling, "Dean, you're so fucking lucky Roman and Seth are here, because if they weren't, I wouldn't hesitate to get into a street fight with you!"

"… Would that be before or after I take you up against the wall?"

"You motherfucker!" I marched towards him, ready to spear him right onto the pavement, but Seth wrapped his arms around me, instantly throwing a monkey wrench into my plan.

"Enough!" he snapped. "Dean, keep your fucking hands to yourself, and Valentina, stop trying to kill him! Now, kiss and make up so we can get out of here and head back to the hotel."

Reluctantly, I walked over to Dean and pulled him into a hug. "Sorry, Dean," I mumbled.

He smirked down at me and ruffled my hair. "Apology accepted, darlin'"

"I take it you saying "sorry" to me is out of the question?"

"Damn straight," Dean said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Dean," Seth said, his tone firm.

"Relax, I'm just fuckin' with her," Dean laughed, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "Alright, alright, alright, I'm… sorry, Valentina. There. Happy, Rollins?"

"… Ecstatic."

* * *

Although our hotel was only twenty minutes away from the arena, I started to fall asleep within the first ten minutes of the car ride, so much for pulling an all-nighter tonight. Seth and I were sitting right next to each other, and before I knew it, I scooched closer to him and laid my head on his shoulder. Inhaling deeply, I couldn't help but smile at how incredible he smelt.

"Vee, come on," Seth said quietly, gently threading his fingers through my curls. "We're almost there. Don't pull a Sleeping Beauty on me now."

"I don't intend on sleeping for a hundred years. Besides, I'm a queen, not a princess, remember?" I mumbled, nuzzling into him. "You smell and feel really good..."

"The floor recognizes the stereotypical, overly-cute, oblivious, naïve lovers in the backseat," Roman said sarcastically, having taken his eyes off the road for a couple seconds to look at us in the rear view mirror.

"Roman, if I wasn't tired as hell, I would…." My voice trailed off as I yawned loudly, letting sleep overtake me.

"Sweet dreams, my queen," Seth murmured against my ear, and pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead.

* * *

I woke up the next day with absolutely no memory of what happened after I fell asleep in Seth's arms. I must've been more tired than I thought because that was a rarity for me. Well, unless it was one of those times where I ended up having one drink too many, then I'd typically wake up with no memory of what happened the previous night.

Rubbing my eyes, I sat up and noticed that I was still wearing the same clothes from last night, the only thing that was missing were my shoes. Seth must've taken them off for me.

 _Seth…_

Turning my head, I frowned once I noticed Seth's side of the bed was empty. Not only that, but his suitcase was gone as well. That's when I remembered him mentioning to us last night that he'd booked an early flight back to Davenport. I knew that I'd see him again in a couple of days for Raw, but I still missed him nonetheless.

With a sigh, I sat up, swung my legs out of bed, and lazily walked towards the door. Turning the knob, I walked into the living room to see Dean sitting on the couch watching TV and Roman making coffee in the kitchen.

"Nice to see that the Killer Queen's not dead after all," Dean said sardonically. "For a minute there, we thought someone had drugged you before we left the arena."

I sat down on one of the chairs nearby and stretched my arms over my head. "Damn, I was really that out of it, huh?"

"Pretty much," Roman said, walking over and handing me a cup of coffee. "Here, just so you don't randomly pass out again."

"You're a peach," I said sweetly, grasping the cup and taking a sip. "Alright, I'm gonna cut to the chase, since I don't remember what the hell happened after I fell asleep, please fill me in."

Dean leaned forward and laughed. "Seth tried to wake you up once we were at the hotel, but all you did was move closer to him and call, or rather, _moan_ his name in your sleep. He pretty much carried you to you guys' room and stayed with you until he had to catch his flight. I literally wanted to puke from all the cuteness."

Roman rolled his eyes. "Ignore him, Valentina. He's just mad because his love life's not modeled after The Notebook like yours and Seth's."

"Bite me," I retorted, raising the cup to my lips and taking another sip.

Roman snorted. "I'll pass, besides, that would be incest."

"Didn't stop me from coping a feel," Dean snorted, shrugging his shoulders.

I smirked. "You forgot to mention that I nearly killed you for it."

Dean laughed. "You have no sense of humor, Monroe. Lighten up for once, will ya?"

Shaking my head, I looked at Roman and ran a hand through my hair. "So, what's the plan for today?"

"Well, since we were only able to get evening flights to Vegas and Pensacola, we were just gonna grab lunch and hang out in the meantime. Care to join us?"

I nodded. "Sure, that sounds great."

* * *

"MONROE, YOU'VE BEEN IN THERE FOR LIKE, FORTY-FIVE FUCKING MINUTES!" Dean yelled, banging his fist on the door five more times to enunciate how irritated he was. "JESUS, IT'S NOT LIKE YOU'RE GETTING READY TO GO FUCK SETH OR SOMETHING!"

I blew out an exasperated sigh and gave myself one more once-over in the mirror. Today's outfit consisted of a dark gray jacket with silver studs across the back, black velvet pants with a baroque design on the front and back pockets, a black tank top that had _Sorry, I Can't Today, I Have Plans With The Internet_ in big white lettering, and black suede heeled boots with studs cascading down and across the sides. I'd finished running a flat iron through my hair, leaving it sleek and straight. I'd opted for a taupe smokey look with winged eyeliner for my eyes and a rosy pink lipstick for my lips. God bless all the makeup tutorials on YouTube.

After fastening a silver necklace that said _New York_ on it around my neck and pulling on a silver ring with the S.H.I.E.L.D logo on it, I whipped out my phone and quickly snapped a selfie to post on Instagram and Twitter.

 _ **TheKillerQueenOfWWE: About to go hang out and spread more justice with the hounds, should be fun. Still missing my favorite two-toned hound though...**_

"Whoa, someone's going for the dark and menacing look again," Dean snickered once he saw my appearance.

"Ignore him, baby girl," Roman said, playfully smacking dean upside the head. "You look great. I'm pretty sure Seth would've loved it too."

"Well, I just took a selfie and posted it on Twitter and Instagram, and I have no doubt in my mind that he'll see it," I replied.

"And jack off to it," Dean muttered.

"I'm gonna fucking pretend I didn't just hear that," I said through clenched teeth, rubbing my temple in annoyance.

 _Go into the back, it's only Skin City_

 _Dancin' to the top, ya know it ain't (right right)_

 _Glowin' in the dark, you're so pretty pretty_

 _Never goin' back, no matter what (what what)_

Digging through my pocket, I yanked out my phone to see that Seth was calling me. Welp, this worked out a lot faster than I'd anticipated. I wasn't complaining though, I wanted to hear his voice. "Hey Architect."

"Hello, gorgeous, I was just thinking about you. Oh, and I saw what you posted on Twitter. Very nice."

I twirled a strand of my hair and grinned. "Why, thank you, I aim to please."

"You certainly do. For what it's worth, I'm sorry I didn't get to say goodbye to you before I left. You looked so tranquil and it would've been an injustice if I woke you up. Don't get me wrong, I was tempted to, especially after hearing you say my name so many times in your sleep..."

I felt my cheeks grow hot. "So they weren't lying after all. Erm, how many times exactly?"

"I lost count after the tenth time, sweetheart. Don't worry, I'll find a way to make it up to you."

"MAKE SURE TO WRAP IT UP WHEN YOU DO!" Dean yelled obnoxiously.

I flipped him off and gritted my teeth together, my grip tightening on the phone. "Please tell me you didn't just hear that…"

"… I could, but I'd be lying. Jesus, so much for giving him that "serious talk" last night."

"When has Dean ever taken anything seriously, Seth?"

"Hello?! Still here!" Dean snapped. "Besides, where's the fun in taking everything seriously?"

"There's a such thing as a filter, Dean, and you lack one," I retorted, before turning my attention back to Seth. "I've gotta go, I'll call you when I get back to Brooklyn, okay?"

"Alright, Vee. Have a safe flight."

* * *

"Are you ever gonna tell him, Valentina?" Roman asked once we were all in the hotel elevator.

Dean nodded in agreement and crossed his arms. "Yeah, he's got it bad for you, and the feeling's clearly mutual, so what's stopping ya?"

"I'd rather not talk about it," I said with a sigh, dragging a hand through my hair. "Besides, he may not even feel the same way and I don't want to risk fucking up our friendship."

"You're kidding, right?" Roman asked rhetorically. "He doesn't shut up about you when you're not around, he always looks at you like you're his whole world, and he's been with you through everything. If that's not proof that he's into you, then I don't know what is."

"Roman, I… I..." I stuttered, trying to think of a way to counter his argument, but I wound up letting out a defeated sigh and shaking my head. "It's not that simple, Ro," I said quietly.

"What are you afraid of, baby girl?" he put his hands on my shoulders and started down at me.

"Yeah, you can tell us, we're good listeners," Dean piped up. "That's what big brothers are for, right?"

"I-I'd rather not say too much right now, but let's just say, I-I made a fucked up choices when I was nineteen, and I let a guy fuck up my life in the worst way," I whispered, desperately trying to block the memory of _him_ out of my mind.

"What, and you think Seth's gonna do the same to you?" Roman asked. "Valentina, you know Seth's not like that…"

The elevator doors suddenly opened and I shook my head again. "I don't want to talk about this anymore, just drop it, okay?" I mumbled, pulling Roman's hands off me and walking out of the elevator without another word.

Hanging out with Roman and Dean for the remainder of the day was actually pretty fun once Dean managed to change the subject (hallelujah) and it really gave me a chance to get to know them better. Growing up, I had no siblings, but at this point it was safe to say that Dean and Roman were the brothers I'd always wanted. With Dean constantly pestering me like any big brother would and Roman looking out for me and trying to give me words of encouragement when it came to my feelings for Seth, I had a bond with them. One that couldn't be broken.

* * *

 _ **Raw**_

 _ **December 3rd, 2012**_

 _ **Greensboro, North Carolina**_

"Alright, Valentina, have a look," Tiffany, the hair and makeup artist, said, handing me a mirror.

"Oh my God, Tiff, I love it!" I squealed, nodding my head in approval. "You did amazing!"

Tiffany had painted my lips a dark cranberry red and left my eyes dark and seductive. My hair had been teased and styled into a high ponytail.

"Sorry to interrupt." I looked over my shoulder to see Paul Heyman and Punk looking at me. "But we'd like to have a word with Miss Monroe."

"Thanks again, Tiff, I appreciate it," I told her. She merely nodded and walked off, leaving me alone with them.

"Alright, you've got my attention, what's up?" I asked, leaning back in my chair and crossing my legs.

"Well, Miss Monroe, as you're probably aware, my client is close to surpassing John Cena's reign and I intend on making that very clear tonight. However, if anyone tries to cause problems for my client-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know, you want us to intervene," I interrupted. "I take it you told Seth, Dean and Roman already?"

Paul nodded. "Yes, I've informed them already. They said you'd be here so I thought it was only fair that we tell you as well."

"Good luck tonight, by the way," Punk said with a smirk. "AJ's in for a very rude awakening."

"Didn't think I'd ever you say that given your history with her," I quipped, crossing my arms.

Punk shrugged. "Times have changed." He glanced down at my stomach and then my arms, his eyes taking in my various tattoos and piercings. "If you're interested, I'd love to hear about the history behind your ink sometime, perhaps over dinner…"

"Thanks for the offer, but I'm gonna have to pass," I replied, hopping out of my chair. "Don't worry, you can count on us to jump in if anything goes wrong tonight."

* * *

I quickly changed into my gear that Sandra, the seamstress for WWE, had made for me. It definitely screamed sultry and deadly. It was a black suede crop top with studs underneath the bust and black denim pants with an embroidered and silkscreened patchwork design along the front and back.

I yanked on a pair of black leather arm warmers and affixed a black rhinestone studded choker around my neck. Then I fished through my suitcase until I found my phone and stood in front of the mirror. Once I took a good selfie, I uploaded it on Twitter and Instagram before leaving the locker room.

 _ **TheKillerQueenOfWWE: Hope you're all watching tonight, because I'm going to exterminate a certain pesky spider. You know who you are…. #ThisIsMYKingdom #BelieveInTheShield #KickingAssAndTakingNames**_

"Holy shit," Seth murmured when I walked into the skybox.

"Close your mouth, Sethie, flies might get in," I joked, closing the door behind me.

"He's got a point though, baby girl," Roman said, looking me up and down. "You look really good."

"Well, I guess I can't argue with that, Sandra really outdid herself," I said, before looking down at the ramp as RAW went on air.

"Here we go," Dean muttered, narrowing his eyes in anticipation.

Kane's music hit and him and Daniel walked out and climbed into the ring. It didn't take long for either of them to look up and spot us.

"Is that? It is! The Shield! Reigns on your left, Monroe right next to him, Rollins in the middle, Ambrose on the right. The Shield are here tonight, live in Greensboro!" Cole exclaimed.

"And apparently AJ's got beef with Valentina and they're officially set to go one-on-one with each other tonight! I can't wait!" Jerry 'The King' Lawler said excitedly.

Kane glared up at us and grabbed a mic. "You know, you guys think you're real tough way up there, aren't ya? You claim to fight against injustice, well why don't you come down here right now and we'll give you somethin' to fight about!"

The crowd erupted into cheers but we shook our heads and stayed put.

"Sorry, no can do, demon," I said nonchalantly, and crossed my arms. A 'you suck' chant broke out and I rolled my eyes and scoffed. If there was a chant that annoyed me more than 'you can't wrestle', it was 'you suck'.

The Prime Time Players music suddenly hit and Darren Young and Titus O'Neil entered the ring, prepared to face Kane and Daniel.

"What do you think?" I asked, turning my head to look at Seth. "Should we jump in?"

"Oh, most definitely," he replied with a grin. "Come on, I've got an idea."

I followed him and Roman out of the skybox and we walked down the steps and quietly eased our way into the crowd while Dean stayed where he was and stared down at the two teams, a sinister smile on his face.

"Good call, I like your thinkin,'" I whispered to Seth.

He intertwined his fingers with mine and gently squeezed my hand. "Thanks, sweetheart. As soon as the match is over, that's when we'll jump in, got it?"

I nodded. "Got it!"

Daniel picked up the win via roll-up and that's when Seth signaled for us to move. We sprinted through the crowd and jumped over the barricade. Dean and Roman went after Kane and Seth and I rolled into the ring and proceeded to kick the shit out of Daniel.

Roman trapped Kane's arm between the steel steps and the ring post and motioned for Dean. Dean nodded and started kicking the steel steps (with Roman quickly joining in); a strangled cry tore from Kane's lips as they relentlessly slammed their feet against the metal.

Seth and I continued to pound on Daniel for the time being. However, Daniel caught me off guard by lunging forward and pushing me off him. Stumbling back, I managed to steady myself just as Dean and Roman slid in the ring and joined in on the Daniel Bryan assault.

Marching forward, I seized Daniel by the hair and yanked his head back, hooking my arm around his neck and hitting him with the Femme Fatale.

With a giggle, I rolled out of the way as Dean and Seth picked Daniel up. Roman unleashed a roar and they laid him out with a triple powerbomb.

The boos got even louder and I smirked and clapped my hands. "Justice is here," I grinned and Seth lightly tugged on my arm and quietly told us to leave the ring.

* * *

 _Hey you know you're lockin' lips with a libertine?_

 _Hey did you know you're knockin' hips with a killer queen?_

 _Another victim of my method of seduction_

 _I made you look but you never saw me comin'_

 _Come on and give it to me_

 _Dare you to give it to me_

 _Give it your best shot_

 _My love is black and blue_

 _Come on and give it to me_

 _Dare you to give it to me_

 _Give it your best shot_

 _Give me your best shot_

 _Tell me where it hurts_

 _(Tell me when you hurt)_

 _Cry baby cry_

 _(Cry baby for me)_

I walked out from behind the LED board as 'Tell Me Where it Hurts' by Halestorm blared throughout the arena. Of course, the crowd proceeded to boo me again, but I brushed them off with an eye roll and made my down the ramp.

"This is a Diva's match scheduled for one-fall!" Justin Roberts announced. "Introducing first, from Brooklyn, New York; Valentina Monroe!"

"This is MY Kingdom!" I shouted, leaping up onto the ring apron and stepping through the ropes. Sauntering over to the turnbuckles, I hopped up onto the second rope before raising both arms above my head and doing the "rock on" gesture.

Jumping down, I walked over to the other side of the ring and swung my right leg over the top rope while my left leg rested on the bottom rope. Leaning forward, I looked up at the skybox and blew the guys a kiss before taking my feet off the ropes and moving back to lean against the turnbuckles.

"Well, it seems that not only does Eve not like Valentina, but AJ seems to have a problem with her as well," Michael Cole commented.

"I'd say that's sugarcoating it, Michael," Jerry snorted. "I spoke with AJ earlier and she said that Valentina may think that this is her Kingdom, she's living in AJ Lee's world now and that Valentina was nothing but a skanky, desperate, attention-seeking, obnoxious little girl who's only made a name for herself by riding The Shield's coattails."

 _Oh, like you're one to talk, Lee. At least I didn't get to where I am by swapping spit with ninety-five percent of the locker room,_ I thought with a scoff as her music hit.

 _Let's light it up!_

 _Light it up, Light it up!_

 _Light it tonight, let's light it up!_

 _Like shooting stars are burning light up the sky!_

Cheers erupted throughout the arena as AJ skipped her way to the ring and I had to bite my tongue in order to prevent myself from screaming a bunch of expletives.

"And her opponent, from Union City, New Jersey; AJ Lee!"

AJ slid under the ropes and stared at me, a wicked smile on her face as I took a few steps forward. We both had an intense stare-down for a good minute or two, both of us staring into each other's eyes with nothing but pure disdain. AJ didn't like me because I not only speared the shit out of her current "boyfriend", but she was also pissed that all the attention wasn't on her for once. I didn't like her because she was one of the reasons why the division was a joke (actually, scratch that, the Bella twins were responsible for decimating this division. Thank God they're no longer with the company).

AJ suddenly held her hand out to me, that wicked smile still on her face as she did so. Oh no, I knew this trick. Hell, I'd fallen for this trick before and I sure as shit wasn't about to fall for it again.

I extended my hand, and the second her palm touched mine, I pulled her forward, nailing her with a clothesline. AJ gasped in surprise and clenched her teeth as her back hit the mat.

Not letting up, I ran over to the corner and seized the tope rope with both hands and hopped up. Pivoting my body around, I bounced backwards, striking her in the back of the head with a springboard roundhouse kick.

I bent down, grabbing her by the hair and hauling her upwards, only to be met with a vicious jab to the face. Staggering back, I tried to shake it off, but I wasn't quick enough. AJ leapt up and hit me with a dropkick. Her arm coiled around my neck as she pulled me up and countered with a neckbreaker.

She slowly crawled over to me and giggled. "You don't belong here, _Vee_ ," she hissed in my ear. "If you were smart, you'd give up now, or else I'm prepared to make your life a living hell."

"And if you were smart… you'd know why it's a _very_ bad idea to piss off the Killer Queen, especially when she's capable of things like this," I whispered, a sadistic smile forming on my lips as I drove my elbow into her stomach. As soon as her body slammed into the mat, I placed one foot down just above each of her knees and bent her legs up. Hooking them around my knees, I seized hold of both of her wrists and fell backwards, lifting her off the ground as I locked in the surfboard hold.

"What do you say, AJ?" the ref asked her as she screamed in agony and wiggled in my grip in desperate attempt to get free.

AJ stubbornly shook her head no and the ref nodded. I held her in place for a few more seconds before letting go and standing up. She rolled out of the ring and bent over, rubbing her back as she panted heavily.

At that point, Roman, Dean and Seth started to make their way down the steps and jumped over the barricade. Probably to make sure AJ didn't go anywhere. That's when an idea popped into my mind.

Grabbing her by the hair, I dragged her over to the announcer's table and slammed her head against it a couple times before backing up.

"Wait, what in the world is Valentina doing?!" Cole exclaimed.

"I don't know, but I think we'd better move!" Jerry said, shuffling out of his chair with Cole quickly doing the same.

Once AJ was right where I wanted her, I charged forward, effortlessly hitting her with a spear hard enough to send us both flying over the announcer's table. A 'THIS IS AWESOME!' chant broke out as I scrambled to my feet and got back in the ring. The ref had already started the count and was at seven.

That's when AJ managed to drag her body up and roll back into the ring. She narrowed her eyes as me, and just judging by the look on her face, it was clear she knew she had underestimated me. What she did next, however, was enough to push me to my boiling point.

She climbed out of the ring again and turned her attention to Seth. She skipped over to him and tilted her head to the side, tantalizingly trailing a finger down his chest. He abruptly shook his head before grabbing her wrist and lightly shoving her away, but AJ didn't let that stop her.

Leaning in, she wrapped her arms around his neck and yanked him down to her level... and forcefully crushed her lips against his.

"Oh my God!" Cole shouted.

"Has AJ lost her mind?! Oh no, look at Valentina, she's absolutely livid!" Jerry exclaimed.

I fucking lost my shit.

I rolled out of the ring and speared AJ again, throwing countless punches to her face as I straddled her. However, as angry as I was at the moment, I didn't want to get DQ'd or counted out. Grudgingly, I tossed her back in the ring, ready to finish this.

She gradually got up and sprinted towards me, but I leapt up and executed a Sin City. She dropped to the mat like a sack of potatoes and I knelt down and covered her.

"One!"

"Two!"

"Three!"

"The winner of this match; Valentina Monroe!" Justin Roberts said.

AJ got out of the ring and started screaming and stamping her foot, throwing yet another bitch fit as she made her way back up the ramp.

Dean and Roman got into the ring and immediately embraced me. Seth awkwardly cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck. Despite it not being his fault, I could tell he still felt horrible about what happened. I wasn't mad at him though, I was mad, or rather, _furious_ at AJ for doing it.

"Relax, Sethie, it's not you I'm pissed at," I said teasingly, holding my arms out for a hug. "Come on, let's hug it out."

"Hug it out! Hug it out!" Dean mockingly chanted.

"As you wish, sweetheart," Seth replied with a grin. He pulled me into a warm embrace and I linked my arms around his neck, burying my face in his chest while his arms snaked around my waist.

Nice try AJ, but the Killer Queen's still standing tall.

* * *

 _ **A/N: And that concludes chapter five! I really hope you guys liked this chapter and all the Monrollins (huge shoutout to LittleGee for the official ship name :D) moments. Don't forget to review and check out my Polyvore collection. Again, the link to it is on my profile and my username is starfire-tamaran. Also, I realize that the song 'Skin City' wasn't released until mid-2014, but I couldn't help but use it for Valentina's ringtone, especially since it really showcases her inner-Vegas roots XD Also, I've posted a poll on my profile regarding who Valentina should face at TLC and I'd really appreciate it if you guys voted because I'm having a hard time deciding. Thanks again, and please review!**_


	6. Making A Statement

_**A/N:**_ _Hi everybody! Wow, I'm just so overwhelmed (in a good way, of course) and ecstatic at amount of feedback I received for chapter five. It truly means the world to me when you guys leave reviews and I can't thank you enough for doing so. Also, the poll on my profile is now closed and the option for Valentina to team up with the guys and face Ryback and Team Hell No at TLC had the most votes. Huge thanks to everyone that voted! On that note, please enjoy this fluffy, intense chapter!_

 _Oh, and in case you're all wondering why I re-uploaded this chapter, it's because I decided to revise Valentina's promo because I wasn't happy with how it turned out, but I feel a lot better about it now._

 _ **raaeebrucee –**_ _No problem! Yeah, I know I only mentioned the technical terms for her finishers in the previous chapters for like a brief second, my apologies for that._ _The Hard Goodbye_ _is a rolling cutter (although this move is used in a variety of ways, so the best visual for the way Valentina uses it can be seen in the 'Top 20 Moves of Ivelisse Velez' video on YouTube, just skip to 2:37), Sin City is a bicycle kick, and Femme Fatale is an_ _inverted facelock transitioned into a double knee backbreaker (the best visual for this one is to look up 'Angelina Love Break A Bitch' on YouTube). Hope that cleared things up a bit. Thanks again for reviewing!_

 _ **caz21 –**_ _Thank you!_

 _ **HelloP –**_ _Thanks!_

 _ **MsConCon –**_ _So, I'm not gonna lie, I totally freaked out when I saw that you'd reviewed my story because I'm a really big fan of your work XD I'm really glad you like Valentina's relationship with the guys as well, when I was planning this story, I wanted Valentina to join The Shield prior to their debut and I wanted to do it in a somewhat heartfelt way, and it's good to know that I accomplished that. Oh, and don't worry, there's gonna be more tension between Seth and Valentina to come and eventually Valentina's history will be revealed and you'll see why the mere thought of this 'mystery guy' makes her want to scream. As far as Valentina and Dean go, well, I don't want to give away any spoilers, but I can tell you that they'll be more moments to come between the two of them. Thank you so much for reviewing!_

 _ **PoopySal –**_ _Thanks a bunch! I'm really glad you're enjoying it so far and I'm also glad you voted since the votes were even before you did XD_

* * *

 _ **Chapter Six – Making A Statement**_

* * *

" _ **Can I ask you a question, please?**_

 _ **Promise you won't laugh at me**_

 _ **Honestly I'm standing here**_

 _ **Afraid I'll be betrayed**_

 _ **As twisted as it seems**_

 _ **I only fear love when it's in my dreams**_

 _ **So let in the morning light**_

 _ **And let the darkness fade away**_

 _ **Can you turn my black roses red?**_

 _ **Can you turn my black roses red?**_

 _ **Drowning in my loneliness**_

 _ **How long must I hold my breath?**_

 _ **So much emptiness inside**_

 _ **I could fill the deepest sea**_

 _ **I reach to the sky as the moon looks on**_

 _ **My one last year has come and gone**_

 _ **Time to let your love rain down on me**_

 _ **Can you turn my black roses red?**_

 _ **Can you turn my black roses red?**_

 _ **Can you turn my black roses red?**_

 _ **'Cuz I'm feelin' like I'll blame it on love**_

 _ **I'm feelin' like I'll blame it on love**_

 _ **I'm feelin' like I'll blame it on love, yeah, yeah." Black Roses Red by Alana Grace**_

* * *

 _ **Raw continued.**_

 _I hear voices in my head_

 _They council me, they understand_

 _They talk to me_

I cracked my knuckles in anticipation as Randy Orton's theme sounded throughout the arena. He was Brad Maddox's opponent for tonight, and in order for Brad to get a WWE contract, he had to win the match. It didn't take a rocket scientist to know that Brad was fighting a losing battle here. Sure, he had a decent amount of ring experience, but we all knew that it wasn't gonna do him much good, especially against the Viper.

"I think it's safe to say that there's about to be a Brad Maddox-shaped crater in the middle of the ring," I whispered to Seth as we watched the match from our usual spot in the crowd.

"Not if we have something to say about it," Seth retorted. "As soon as the match is over, we're gonna send a little message to Orton to ensure that he knows what justice feels like."

"And if he decides to retaliate after tonight?" I inquired playfully.

"Then I'll twist his spine into a pretzel," Dean said cheekily.

"I highly doubt you'll be able to do that on live TV without getting charged with manslaughter, Dean," I said sardonically.

"Stop being such a buzzkill, Monroe," Dean replied with a laugh. "Twisted spine or not, Orton's still getting his ass kicked tonight, and he'll get more ass kickings to come if he wants to fight back."

"Good to know," I mumbled.

Although Brad was able to get maybe two or three good licks in, Randy had pretty much toyed with and dominated him for the majority of the match. He finished Brad off with an RKO and that's when we had had enough.

We dashed into the ring and leapt on Orton, commencing our vicious onslaught on him. All Randy could do was cover his head and shield his face as we delivered kick after kick and blow after blow to his body.

"Get him up! Get him up!" Seth commanded.

Randy desperately tried to fight back as Dean and I hauled him up, but his efforts were useless and his back was on the canvas in seconds.

"BELIEVE IN THE SHIELD!" I screamed at the audience as Seth, Dean, and Roman set Randy up for a triple powerbomb.

"It's official; Valentina Monroe is a psycho!" Cole shouted, staring at me in horror.

"You think?!" Jerry shot back.

Whirling around, I squealed in delight and clapped my hands as the three of them laid Orton out with a triple powerbomb and glared down at him menacingly.

Whipping my hair out of my face, I giggled at Randy's now semi-conscious form. Then we calmly exited the ring and headed backstage.

* * *

"This is such bullshit," Dean grumbled as we watched Miz bombard Punk with numerous questions while he was hooked up to a lie detector.

"Yeah, my thoughts exactly," Roman said, shaking his head.

"Okay, we all know how this is gonna end," Dean scoffed, getting up from where he was sitting. "I say we play soccer with Miz's head once I knock it off."

"Patience, buddy," Seth chuckled, clapping him on his shoulder. "If Miz is dumb enough to ask any questions about us, then you can go out there and knock his head off."

"Wait! Wait!" I hissed, narrowing my eyes at the screen. "Guys, I think he's about to ask him…"

"Why don't we get something more concrete?" Miz snapped, giving Punk a cold look. "Did you work with Brad Maddox at Hell In A Cell?! Did you work with The Shield to win at Survivor Series?! Did you?! Did you?! Answer it! Answer it!"

"GO! GO! GO!" Seth yelled urgently.

Dean cracked his neck and Roman did the same with his knuckles as the four of us sprinted out of the room.

Before Punk could answer Miz's question, Seth dragged him out of the ring and tackled him to the floor. Dean, Roman and I climbed over the ropes and cleared off the table that the lie detector had been set up on and chucked it out of the ring.

Seth tossed Miz back into the ring and it didn't take long for the four of us to give him the same beating. Roman let out a roar before Seth and Dean picked Miz up and set him on the Samoan's shoulders. They gave Miz the triple powerbomb, and that's when our plan went south.

Kane and Daniel suddenly ran down the ramp and slid into the ring. Dean and Seth went after Kane while Roman and I backed Daniel into the turnbuckles and simultaneously kicked him.

 _FEED. ME. MORE!_

"SON OF A BITCHING PIECE OF SHIT!" I screamed upon hearing Ryback's music. I was getting really tired of these assholes were sticking their noses where they didn't belong.

I clutched my throat and gasped in pain after Ryback hit me with a clothesline. Dean charged towards Ryback, but Ryback swiftly grabbed Dean's ankle and threw him out of the ring. Then he hopped out of the ring and threw Dean over the barricade.

I did a kip up and bolted out of the ring, leapfrogging over the barricade and sprinting over to where Ryback and Dean were. Ryback was still focused on Dean, so I to advantage of that by delivering a Sin City to his back, with much greater force this time.

Ryback toppled over and Dean winked at me before unleashing a barrage of blows on him, with me following suit. Despite it being two on one, however, Ryback was able to recover and overpower both of us. Kane and Daniel had managed to get the upper hand against Seth and Roman as well. In short, we got our asses handed to us.

"Well, that worked out nicely," I growled as we walked into the locker room. Roman punched one of the lockers in sheer frustration and Dean picked up a chair and chucked it at the wall.

"Hey! Enough!" Seth snapped, going into "Mediator Mode" for the thousandth time. "Alright, so tonight didn't exactly go according to plan, but they got lucky. Next time they won't get that luxury, and now they've each got a target on their backs."

"Damn right they do," Roman huffed, slumping down on the bench.

"They're an injustice to this company," Dean said, rolling his shoulders and clapping his hands together. "And we're gonna keep reminding them why they are until they get it through their heads. They need to understand that this is our yard now."

I nodded my head in agreement. "Couldn't have said it better myself."

* * *

A soft moan left my lips as I felt a pair of calloused hands gently rubbing my shoulders, massaging away all the built-up tension. I already knew who it was, and I bit my lower lip as he hitched my cami up and lightly traced his fingers over the tattoo sprawled across my lower back.

"Mmm, you're very good with your hands, Mr. Rollins," I said quietly, lifting my head to look over my shoulder.

"So does that mean you're not gonna hit me with a Sin City for interrupting your beauty sleep?" he joked, sweeping my hair to the side before bringing his hands up to knead my shoulders.

"Don't push it," I snickered, burying my face in my pillow.

I yelped in surprise as he suddenly flipped me over and crawled on top of me, his lips molding into a sly grin as he took hold of my wrists and pinned them above my head.

"What is this, Fifty Shades of Grey?!" I said in between laughs. "You gonna punish me, Sethie?"

"I may have to, if you say 'no' to what I'm about to ask you," he said, leaning closer and brushing his nose against mine. "I'm about to go Crossfitting, do you wanna come?"

"I take it Dean and Roman aren't coming?" I asked, quirking a brow.

He shook his head. "Nope. They went downstairs to the gym about twenty minutes ago, they'll probably be down there for the next two hours or so. It's just you and me for now, sweetheart. So, how bout' it? You in?"

"You're on," I said. "I've never done CrossFit before, so you better go easy on me."

"I'll try," he drawled, pressing a warm kiss to my cheek and rolling off me. "Which reminds me, we got a voicemail from Vickie earlier. We've got a match at TLC."

"WHAT?!" I exclaimed incredulously, bolting upright and whipping my head to the side to look at him. "Against who?! Ryback?! Goatboy?! Kane?! AJ?! All four of them?!"

"We're facing Team Hell No and Ryback… In an Intergender Tag Team match…"

I didn't know whether to jump for joy or scream bloody murder. Never in my eight years of wrestling had I faced a man in the ring. Sure, I'd been helping Seth, Dean, and Roman attack countless Superstars ever since Survivor Series, but that was child's play compared to going into a match that involved tables, ladders, and chairs!

"…. Holy shit," I gulped, running a hand through my hair. "Welp, there's only two things I can do to prepare for this. One, train with you guys as much as I can so I know what to expect, and two, watch as many Team Extreme matches as possible."

"Don't worry, you've got this in the bag, Vee," he assured me. "Not to mention, it's four against three. They don't stand a chance."

I took a deep breath and smiled hopefully. "You're right, we're gonna kick all their asses into next week. They're going down."

* * *

"Barbie called, she wants her leggings back," Seth snickered once he saw my workout gear, which was a pair of bright pink low-rise leggings, a black tank top that said _I'm 99% Angel. But Oh..… That 1%... HOT DAMN_ , a black wristband that said _Violence Isn't The Answer, But It's a Lot More Fun_ , and pink and dark gray Pumas. My hair was in a messy bun and my face was void of makeup.

"Fuck you! These are my favorite pair!" I said playfully, lightly elbowing him in the chest. "Plus, they also make my ass look phenomenal."

"Can't argue with that," I heard him mutter. I looked up at him and tried my hardest not to melt right into the carpet once I saw how good he looked. His two-toned hair was fastened in a low bun and he was wearing a gray _A Day To Remember_ t-shirt and black basketball shorts.

Sucking in a breath, I quickly grabbed my charcoal colored Victoria's Secret duffle bag that had PINK written across it in gold sequined lettering and tossed some extra clothes and my phone inside.

"If I die after this workout, I'm haunting your ass for the next fifty years, Rollins," I warned, causing him to laugh.

"You're not gonna die, Vee. Trust me, you're about to endure the greatest workout of your entire life."

* * *

It took every ounce of willpower I had not to pass out after the first half hour.

After doing twenty-five kip pull ups, ten squat cleans, and fifteen ring dips, I collapsed on one of the benches, picked up my water bottle, and took a long swig. Greatest workout of my entire life, my ass.

"You did great, Valentina!" Seth beamed, staring down at me with a satisfied grin. "How do you feel?"

"Like I've just been suplexed a hundred times, hit by a train, dragged to hell and then dug my way out," I managed to gasp out. "Oh, and I also have the urge to hit you with an infinite number of Sin Cities, but that would require moving, and I'm in too much pain to do that right now."

He carefully wrapped an arm around my shoulders and helped me sit up. "There, there, Vee, have no fear, your favorite Architect is here."

With a sigh, I laid my head on his shoulder and laughed softly. "You can go ahead and carry on if you want. Just give me about ten more minutes or so and I'll join you."

"That's my girl." He patted my knee and stood up. My breath caught in my throat as he casually pulled his shirt off, revealing his chiseled abs and toned chest. My cheeks instantly flushed… and my reaction didn't go unnoticed.

"Close your mouth, Monroe, flies might get in," he told me with a wink before heading over to the other side of the gym to do some box jumps.

 _And here lies Valentina Ava Monroe. Cause of death? Wellll, she tried to keep it together, but after seeing her best friend take his shirt off during their CrossFit workout, she wound up going into a pleasure coma and never woke up._

I shut my eyes and quietly counted to ten in an attempt to erase all dirty thoughts of the two-toned ninja across the room, which immediately backfired on me when I caught myself staring at him again and biting my lip. I wonder if he'd oblige if I asked him to join me in the locker room for a cold shower and show me a whole new way of working ou- NO! NO! NO! GET A FUCKING GRIP AND STOP THINKING ABOUT BONING YOUR BEST FRIEND!

Stalking over to one of the power racks, I wrapped my hands around both sides of the barbell and slowly hoisted it upward and gradually bent my knees. I figured doing a few plie squats would help clear my mind before I joined Seth like I'd promised. Lord knows I didn't want him to catch me blushing again.

"Need a hand, Princess Leia?" he suddenly breathed in my ear, shifting forward a bit so that my back was flush against him.

 _So much for clearing my mind…._

"N-No, I'm good," I replied, pursing my lips together and trying my hardest stay focused on my squats and not the gorgeous man behind me.

However, that plan was promptly tossed out the window when Seth chuckled and gingerly placed his hands on my hips and leisurely maneuvered them downward.

"Don't get me wrong, you're doing really good, you just need to bend your knees a little more," he advised me.

"Thanks," I mumbled quietly, my eyes darting up to look at the wall mirror in front of me. A small smile graced my lips at the sight.

"No problem," he said, snapping me out of my daze. He gave me a parting grin before jogging back over to the boxes.

Another hour went by before we both decided to call it quits for the day. I left the locker room and pulled out my phone. What really caught me off guard was the various tweets I'd gotten after my match with AJ… and the majority of them had a photo of Seth and I hugging in the ring.

 _OMG they're so fucking cute! #Raw_

 _When's Rollins gonna wise up and ask her out already? #Raw_

 _I ship them! I ship them harder than FedEx! Monrollins is officially my OTP! #Raw_

 _They're a match made in heaven. They both get a sick thrill from beating the shit out of Superstars and Divas they think are an "injustice" #Raw_

 _The Architect and The Killer Queen are gonna be the next Edge and Lita, just watch. #Raw_

"More fan tweets?" Seth teased, peering over my shoulder.

"Oh yeah," I said with a nod before pulling up the camera on my phone. "I'd say me miraculously surviving my first CrossFit workout calls for a selfie, wouldn't you agree?"

"Hell yeah!" He smirked, wrapping an arm around me and leaning down to my height. I took a couple pics, then picked the one I liked the best and uploaded it.

 _ **TheKillerQueenOfWWE: So WWERollins convinced me to get off my lazy ass this morning and do CrossFit with him. It was exhausting and painful, but totally worth it! #NoPainNoGain #IOweYouRollins #Feelin'TheBurn**_

"Told you you'd enjoy it, Monroe," Seth said cockily as we walked towards his car.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, don't rub it in," I retorted, loading my bag into the trunk. My phone started vibrating again so I took it out of my bag before slamming the trunk lid shut. I unlocked the screen to see that AJ had reposted the picture of Seth and I with the following tweet:

 _ **WWEAJLee: Yuck, I think I just threw up in my mouth a bit. What Seth sees in this cheap, trashy, talentless loser I'll never know. #GoAwayValentina #YouWillNeverBeAsGreatAsMe #You'reNothing**_

"I'm gonna kill this bitch," I snarled under my breath.

"Valentina, don't let her get to you, that's what she wants," Seth said calmly, placing his hand on my shoulder.

I shook him off and scowled. "It's not about letting her get to me; it's about her not understanding the fact that I'm here to stay and trying to bring me down every chance she gets! There is a limit to how much I can take and she's pushed me to my limit! She wants to go down this road? Fine! Game on!"

* * *

 _ **Smackdown taping**_

 _ **December 4th, 2012**_

 _ **Charleston, South Carolina**_

"COME ON, AJ!" I hollered, seizing her by the back of her shirt and hurling her against the wall. Trust me when I say that I really, really tried to take the high road (Seth made me swear to do so when we got to the arena), but that high road turned into a highway to hell the minute she attacked me from behind by taking off her belt and whipping me across the back with it and then trying to choke me with it.

Hauling her up by her hair with one hand and grabbing a fistful of her shirt with the other, I threw her against the wall again, got on top of her, and wrapped my hands around her throat.

"You wanna choke me, huh?!" I spat, my grip constricting as I rammed her head against the concrete. "How do you like it?! Doesn't feel too good, does it?! When I told why it's a bad idea to piss me off, I meant EVERY word!"

AJ wiggled and gasped for air underneath me and before bringing her knee up and striking me in the gut. Her belt's around my throat again before I have a chance to retaliate and she wastes no time in pulling back with all her might.

I gasped and coughed as I felt my airway being cut off, my hands immediately taking hold of the belt and trying to yank it off my throat.

AJ giggled at my attempt and shoved me down so I was on my knees. "Give it up, Valentina! You're nothing! You're not so tough when your boys aren't around, are you?!"

As a last resort, I brought my foot up and gratingly stomped on her foot before harshly elbowing her in the stomach. She dropped the belt and I rubbed my throat as countless coughs left my mouth. Despite the fact that I was struggling to regain control of my breathing, there was no way in hell I was gonna give AJ the chance to throttle me again.

I snatched her up by her hair again and dragged her down the hallway, ignoring her screams of protest as I did so. AJ brought this on herself and I was way beyond showing her any mercy.

It didn't take long for us to come across some stage equipment lying around and I was more than willing to take advantage of this opportunity. I bashed her head against a road case nearby before landing a kick to her side, leaving her lying in a heap on the stone floor.

My gaze veered to the other items lying against the wall: a metal trashcan and two cookie sheets. Perfect.

Yanking the lid off the trashcan, I stormed back over to the fallen Black Widow and brutally smacked her across the back with it. AJ howled and writhed in agony as I followed up with two more shots to her back.

"Valentina what the hell are you doing?!"

I swiveled around to see Seth staring at me like I'd just grown eight tentacles, with Roman having a very similar expression. Dean, however, had an amused smile on his face, clearly being the only one that seemed to approve of AJ and I's street fight.

Dropping the lid, I clenched my teeth and shook my head. "Seth, I really tried to take the high road, but it's a little hard to do that when you're getting the life choke out of you!"

Seth raised his hands in defense and took a step forward. "I get that, but don't you think you've done enough?!"

Dean barked out a laugh and crossed his arms. "Lighten up, bro. I say we let em' fight. Besides, it looks like she's got the situation under contro- Valentina, look out!"

Dean's warning came about two seconds too late and I unleashed a piercing scream as the sudden sharp pain shot up my back. I brought my head up to see that AJ was now wielding the trashcan with a maniacal smile on her face.

Rolling over, I clenched my teeth as I pulled myself into a kneeling position. AJ launched herself forward and countered with another trashcan shot… right to my face.

My vision became blurry as I fell backwards, my legs were now tucked underneath my body. Ragged breaths left my mouth as I tried to bring myself back to reality and silently hoped to god that AJ didn't give me a concussion.

Through my peripheral, I saw Dean, Roman, and Seth move towards her. Concerned and amused looks were now gone from their features and had been replaced with pissed off, menacing ones.

"What are you three gonna do?!" AJ demanded tauntingly, tossing the trashcan aside. "Hit me?! You gonna hit a woman?! Last time I checked, that's an 'injustice'!"

In spite of the fact that I was still in a vast amount of pain, I saw this as an opening and I was gonna take it. I crawled backwards, snatched one of the cookie sheets, and gradually got to my feet.

"But this isn't!" I snarled, and struck her across the face with it, followed by the lower back.

We fought and beat the holy hell out of each other for another ten minutes backstage before eventually moving our fight into the crowd, with Roman, Dean, and Seth trailing close behind.

After violently tossing each other into god knows how many walls backstage, AJ and I were still disoriented and somewhat dizzy, but neither of us was willing to back down. That much was true.

My arm shot out, hitting her with a clothesline so vicious it sent her soaring backwards over the barricade. Then I hopped over the barricade, snatched her up by the back of her shirt and threw her in the ring. I was done fucking around. It was time to finish this.

Looping my arm around her neck, I executed Femme Fatale and then sat up. That's when a light bulb went off went off in my head.

Staggering over to the ropes, I directed my attention towards one of the producers and yelled for her to give me a damn mic. What I was about to do was about to make me even more feared and hated than I already was, but I didn't give a damn.

I brought the microphone to my lips and cleared my throat. "You know, I realize that some of you are still confused and disgusted at my actions as of late, so allow me to enlighten you. At first it took me a while to understand what Dean, Roman, and Seth have been trying to show me, and what they've been trying to tell me, but now, I get it. We're here to rally against injustice, and that doesn't just include Superstars like Daniel Bryan, Ryback, Randy Orton, and the Miz either! That's right; I'm talking about this sad excuse of a Divas division. What happened to the days where Divas weren't afraid to be as tough and as ruthless as the guys, hmm?"

I was getting a lot of boos from the crowd, and I had no doubt in my mind that all the Divas backstage wanted to massacre me for bashing them, but I was in too deep to stop now.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, go ahead! Boo me all you want!" I said scathingly, rolling my eyes. "It's not gonna change the fact that deep down in your heart of hearts, you all know I'm right! I didn't put my body through hell week after week for the past eight years and look up to so many great wrestlers just to sit back and allow this division become a joke! You see, I've watched this division crumble over the past few years and I'm absolutely disgusted that the Divas in this division have gone from beating each other with trashcans and putting each other through tables, to slapping and being concerned about breaking a damn nail every time they get in the ring! So, ladies, if you're all watching this, and I know you are, I'm here to put you on notice: I'm taking over this division and making it relevant again. Now, if any of you bimbos back there have an issue with that, then, by all means, feel free to come down here and "try" -by the way, I use that term very loosely- and prove yourselves. However, just know this; if you dare try to stop me from cleansing this division of all its injustice, I will take no shame in doing to you what I just did to AJ here. Scratch that, I'll do worse!"

I threw my head back and giggled quietly as the booing got louder. Pursing my lips together, I strutted two steps forward and continued, "My name is Valentina Monroe, and like my brothers, I'm a shield from injustice. This is their yard… and my Kingdom. BELIEVE IN THE SHIELD!"

Throwing the mic down, I glanced over to see Roman, Dean, and Seth now standing behind the barricade, all wearing proud grins. They jumped over the barricade and slid into the ring, engulfing me in a hug as my music hit.

"Well, Valentina certainly is determined to make a change" Josh Matthews commented.

"And she won't hesitate to take out anyone who gets in her way either!" JBL exclaimed. "Look at what she did to AJ for crying out loud!"

"Any ideas as to who her next victim's gonna be?" Michael Cole asked.

"No clue, but after what just happened, I think that any Diva that agitates Valentina is in for a world of hurt."

 _Damn straight_

* * *

"Monroe, you killed it!" Dean exclaimed enthusiastically as we walked (or rather, staggered, in my case) backstage. "I mean, I knew you were capable of being cunning and deadly, but damn! You just kicked it up about fifty notches! I think it's safe to say that the Divas division just got a wake-up call."

"Not to mention she's just become public enemy number one," Roman commented. "Still, it had to be said. You made a lot of great points, baby girl. The Divas division is in need for a serious change, and you're the right girl to do it."

"Yeah, no shit!" I snorted. "I'm re-building this division and if those any of those bitches have an issue with it, they know where to find me." I looked over at Seth, who looked… surprisingly conflicted. What the hell?

"Seth, don't give me that look," I warned, crossing my arms. "I told you, she attacked me first, was I supposed to just let her choke me until I passed out due to lack of oxygen?!"

He sighed. "I'm not mad, sweetheart. Although I agree with everything you just said, that doesn't change the fact that I'm still gonna worry about you. I care about you a lot, Vee..."

"You should've seen the look on his face when AJ hit you in the face with that trashcan," Dean snickered. "He looked like he'd just witnessed you gettin' murdered or something."

"This coming from the man who was struggling to restrain himself when AJ was daring all of us to hit her," Roman said, rolling his eyes. "Then again, you're both crazy, so it doesn't surprise me that your personalities clash."

Dean just snorted in response before looking at me again. "So, we were planning on attacking Goatface after his match with Big Show, care to join the fun?"

"Are you out of your damn mind, Ambrose?!" Seth shouted. "She just got out of a street fight! She's in no condition to-"

"Count me in," I said, causing Seth to turn around and look at me wide eyed.

"Valentina, there's no fucking way I'm letting you go out there," he said, his jaw tense.

"I'm going out there with you guys whether you like it or not, Seth," I replied, leaning against the wall. "Look, I know you care about me, but you have to understand that even when I'm not at a hundred percent, I'm still gonna suck it up, go out there, and give it all I've got."

He blew out a defeated sigh. "Fine, but I'm still gonna make damn sure that you take it easy once we get back to the hotel, capiche?"

"I better not hear you two fucking while I'm trying to sleep," Dean muttered.

"And you better not bring some ring-rat back, Dean," I quipped with a snort.

"Well, if I do, you're more than welcome to join us, Vee," he grinned. "Seeing as Sethie's taking his sweet time and all…"

"Well, Ambrose, congratulations. You're officially on my Curb Stomp list," Seth muttered, rubbing his temples in irritation.

"Not my fault you _still_ haven't made a move yet," Dean shrugged.

"Let it be, man," Roman sniggered. "It won't be long before they start staying in a separate room and we're forced to hear them fucking down the hall."

"ROMAN!" I shrieked, my mouth dropping open.

"Just stating the facts, baby girl," he chuckled.

* * *

We casually surrounded the ring as Big Show raised his championship in the air and looked down at Daniel. He took advantage of the fact that Daniel had gotten distracted by our presence and was able to pick up the win after nailing Daniel with a chokeslam.

Big Show glanced up at us as we calmly stepped onto the apron and quietly exited the ring, affirming that he wanted nothing to do with us.

We circled Daniel for a few seconds before stomping him, but four against one turned into four against two when Kane's pyro exploded and his music went off.

Kane's attempt to make the save quickly backfired as we all tackled and stomped him. Once we'd kicked him out of the ring, Seth launched himself forward and rammed Kane back first into the apron.

Smirking, I turned around and helped Roman clear the announce table, with JBL, Josh, and Michael quickly backing up as a result.

"Get him up!" I shouted, cracking my knuckles.

Roman brushed his hair out of his face and let out a roar, calling for the triple powerbomb. Dean and Seth picked Kane up and set him on Roman's shoulders again before executing the triple powerbomb.

We took a moment to glance at the two thirds of our opponents for TLC before looking at each other. We were more than confident that we were gonna emerge victorious come TLC, but we still wanted to send a little message to Kane, Daniel, and Ryback before we left the arena.

* * *

"I'm Seth Rollins," Seth said, holding up the camcorder that we'd gotten from one of the cameramen backstage.

"I'm Valentina Monroe," I said, mockingly waving as he pointed it to me. Then he handed it to Roman.

"Roman Reigns."

"I'm Dean Ambrose," Dean said, running a hand through his hair. "What do we know about injustice?"

"We don't just know injustice!" I said matter of factly.

"We've lived it," Roman affirmed.

"Last Monday, CM Punk, Champion for over a year, was disrespected with a lie detector test by the Miz?" Dean demanded incredulously.

"Welcome to consequences Miz!" I spat.

Seth grabbed the camera and scoffed. "Randy Orton took advantage of a young, defenseless Brad Maddox! Well welcome to payback, Randy!"

"We shield the WWE from injustice," Roman explained.

"Team Hell No?" Dean rolled his eyes.

"Well, guess what?" I sneered. "Nobody says 'no' to the Shield. It's about damn time you learned that the easy way, or we can keep teaching it to you the hard way."

"Ryback? You've been handed success on a silver platter!" Dean snapped. "You've been handed fame and fortune! You've been put on a pedestal! Well, we knocked you off that pedestal! We stopped you cold. Welcome back to reality, Ryback!"

"We don't work for anybody!" Seth said. "Not Paul Heyman, not the WWE Champion. We work for each other."

"I'm Dean Ambrose."

"Seth Rollins."

"I'm Valentina Monroe."

"I'm Roman Reigns. Welcome to the shield of justice." He handed the camera to Dean.

"At the TLC pay-per-view, bring tables! Bring ladders! Bring chairs! The Shield brings the sword."

Seth draped an arm around my shoulder and I blew a kiss to the camera. The four of us smiled smugly before setting the camera down and walking out.

* * *

 _ **A/N: My apologies if this chapter was somewhat rusty. I've had quite a bit of schoolwork lately and unfortunately it's sort of hindered my writing. With that said, I still want to know what you all thought of this chapter, especially AJ and Valentina's brawl. I really wanted to kick-off their rivalry via Attitude Era style and I hope it turned out okay. Same goes for Valentina's promo. Thanks for reading! ^_^**_


	7. Like A Wildfire

_**A/N:**_ _What's up, guys? Wow, so much has happened these past couple months. First there was that heart stopping Shield reunion (granted, it was short lived, but I still loved every minute of it!), and then Seth got injured :'( I honestly was in such a state of shock when I first found out. It truly breaks my heart that he's out for 6-9 months, but I know that when he comes back, he'll come back with a bang. Get well soon, Seth! And lastly…. Ambreigns are now champs! *squeals* XD Also, I'm sort of stepping out of my comfort zone with this chapter, and by that I mean the end of this chapter is basically rated M *blushes heavily* Ahem, with that said, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter and don't be afraid to drop a review! :D_

 **Pinayprincesa –** _Chemistry is definitely what I was aiming for XD It'll be a while before there's any real romance between the two of them, but trust me; it'll definitely be worth the wait._

 _ **Guest –**_ _Thanks! And you're welcome! XD_

 _ **HelloP –**_ _Thank you! I'm so happy you liked it!_

 _ **MsConCon –**_ _Thanks a million! And anytime! I only wish I could write smut as amazing as you do, your stuff is sizzling hot! On that note, I'm really glad you liked this chapter. I really wanted to kick off AJ and Valentina's rivalry in the most brutal way possible and what better way to do it than an Attitude Era-style brawl? XD At the same time though, I also wanted Valentina to be the one to re-build the division and make it mean something again because she's put her heart and soul into wrestling, and she's fed up with all the two minute matches and with the fact that the division has become a joke. Oh, and I just noticed that I made a small typo regarding her moves. The Hard Goodbye is a rolling cutter and Femme Fatale is an inverted facelock transitioned into a double knee backbreaker. And if you thought that was bad, you should see what Dean's harassment towards Valentina was like back in their FCW days. But of course, that'll be revealed in a later chapter. I'm definitely going for that slow-burn romance with Seth and Valentina. Actually, that's an understatement since this has been going on between them for four years XD Nevertheless, I promise it'll epic when they finally do admit how they feel about each other._

 _ **Lill2350 -**_ _*squeals* Thank you so, so much! I've read your story as well and I love Olivia's relationship with Dean and Roman, and our favorite two-toned ninja, of course ;) Yup, that's Valentina for you. She may seem kind, but the second you piss her off, she will unleash hell. Hence why she's called the Killer Queen XD And there's definitely gonna be more Seth/Valentina moments to come. ^_^_

 _ **Aiphira –**_ _Thanks, hun! I'm really happy you're enjoying it! ^_^_

* * *

 _ **Chapter Seven – Like A Wildfire**_

* * *

" _ **We were going way too fast**_

 _ **Chasing down the hourglass**_

 _ **Running from the past**_

 _ **Heading out with no direction**_

 _ **A kerosene beauty queen**_

 _ **Looking for her matchstick king**_

 _ **To burn in to my heart**_

 _ **Hand in to the flame**_

 _ **We could set the world ablaze cause**_

 _ **Baby, you're all I need**_

 _ **Come now, set me free**_

 _ **Like a wildfire, like a wildfire**_

 _ **Breathless, I can't resist**_

 _ **Melt with your scarlet kiss**_

 _ **Like a wildfire, like a wildfire**_

 _ **I look into your sunset eyes**_

 _ **Waiting for the moon to rise**_

 _ **So I can feel your heat**_

 _ **This love is so completely crazy**_

 _ **You've been fucking with my dreams**_

 _ **Ripped me like your torn up jeans**_

 _ **I don't even care**_

 _ **You can take me there**_

 _ **You can set me my world ablaze 'cause**_

 _ **Baby, you're all I need**_

 _ **Come now, set me free**_

 _ **Like a wildfire, like a wildfire." Wildfire by Demi Lovato**_

* * *

 _ **July 2012**_

" _So, how does it feel to know that you're so close to winning the NXT Championship?" I asked Seth with a smile as we pulled into the Full Sail University parking lot._

" _Honestly, it's indescribable," he admitted, turning the wheel and easing the car into a spot adjacent to the building. "I haven't been this pumped since I won the FCW Championship… and the FCW 15 Championship, and the ROH title…"_

" _Don't rub it in," I snorted, playfully rolling my eyes._

" _Hey," he said softly, putting the car in 'park' before leaning over and putting a hand on my shoulder. "Before you know it you'll be kicking ass on the main roster, and it won't be long before you win the Divas Championship. And I'll make sure to be in your corner when you do, just like you're gonna be in mine tonight."_

" _I've been in your corner since 2008 and I don't intend on being in anyone else's, Sethie," I told him earnestly. "You've got this in the bag."_

 _I couldn't stop my hands from constantly digging through my hair (my sincerest apologies to hair and makeup artist) as I witnessed the match happening before me. If my hands weren't in my hair then they were incessantly hitting the ring apron. This was the final match of the NXT Gold Rush Tournament and Seth was facing Jinder Mahal. Whoever won this match would become the first ever NXT Champion and I could tell that Seth was so close to winning he could practically taste that sweet victory._

" _You've got this, Seth!" I shouted, nodding my head in affirmation when he looked at me. That was all the motivation he needed to hit Jinder with an Avada Kedavra before going for the pin._

 _To our immediate shock and immense frustration, Jinder managed to stay alive by kicking out at two. However, Seth was quick to come up with a Plan B. He climbed to the top turnbuckle and went for a corkscrew moonsault. Jinder rolled out of the way in the nick of time and I cringed as Seth's body hit the canvas._

" _Seth, come on," I whispered, bringing my hands down against the apron again._

 _Still in pain, he staggered to his feet, and that only enabled Jinder to follow up with a full nelson slam. He covered Seth as the ref went for the count, but Seth kicked out at two. I felt a wave of relief and hope wash over me. Seth wasn't going down that easy. He wanted that title and he wasn't about to let Jinder take it from him._

 _Jinder stood over Seth and looked at me with a taunting smile on his face. My blood began to boil as he derisively waved at me. Must. Ignore. Urge. To . Sin. City. Jinder. Fucking. Mahal. Into. The. Next. Fucking. Millennium!_

 _My rage increased as he applied a camel clutch, which was quickly replaced by relief again as Seth made it to the ropes. Jinder seized Seth's ankle and dragged him backwards before attempting another camel clutch, but Seth hooked his leg and went for a roll-up, but once again, Jinder was able to kick out._

" _Yes! That's it, Seth!" I shouted as he picked Jinder up, placed him on his shoulders, and then powerbombed him right into the turnbuckles. My heart was racing as Seth backed up and bounced off the ropes. He executed the blackout on Jinder and dropped to the mat._

" _Blackout! Blackout!" Byron Saxton exclaimed from the commentary table. "He hit it! Rollins hit it!"_

" _1!"_

" _2!"_

" _3!"_

 _The bell rung and I didn't even try to stop myself from going nuts. I unleashed countless elated screams as the ref handed Seth the gold and black belt._

" _The winner of this match, and new NXT Champion; Seth Rollins!"_

 _Shrieking excitedly, I rolled underneath the ring ropes and flung my arms around him, burying my face into his shoulder as fresh tears of joy pooled down my cheeks._

" _You did it!" I cried, reaching up to cup his face in my hands. "You fucking did it, Seth! You're the first NXT Champion in WWE history!"_

" _I couldn't have done it without you, Vee," he said quietly, wrapping an arm around my waist._

 _Grinning, I raised his hand in victory while he held up his title. It wasn't long before the rest of the NXT roster came barreling down the ramp and celebrated with him inside the ring._

 _Seth was the new NXT Champion, and I was damn proud of him._

* * *

I smiled reminiscently as I lightly traced my fingers across the black and gold plates on Seth's title. He'd kept a tight grip on it these past four months, and yet, I couldn't help but wonder how much longer they'd let him hold it now that he was on the main roster.

"Rubbing it for good luck?" Seth chuckled behind me.

"Damn, you caught me," I pouted, innocently batting my lashes as I held the belt up.

"Don't worry, I'll let you off the hook this time… maybe," he smirked, taking it out of my hands and placing it on his shoulder.

"So what's the plan for Raw, smartass?" I inquired playfully, standing to up and making my way over to the hotel bed before collapsing on it.

"We're going after the company's precious golden boy: _John Cena_ ," Seth spat his name and clenched his fists.

I snorted. "Wow, you really don't like him, do you?"

"What's to like?" he asked rhetorically, taking a seat beside me. "He's the biggest injustice in this company as of late and he has to be dealt with… swiftly."

"Good point, we going after anyone else before TLC?"

"We haven't discussed that yet, but you can bank on them getting a taste of the Shield's wrath. Speaking of TLC, how does it feel to know you'll be competing in technically your first pay-per-view match in Brooklyn?"

"I still can't believe it," I replied breathlessly. "Brooklyn's my home and I'm so fucking ready to take those dickheads down in front of all my fans. Well, assuming I still have fans."

"You're kidding, right?" Seth snickered. "I don't know if you've checked your Twitter lately, but all of your fans have been going nuts over your brawl with AJ and that promo you cut. I think you'll be very pleased to know that a good amount of them are still on your side."

"Lovely. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna catch some much needed Z's. I need all the energy I can get this week."

* * *

 _ **Raw**_

 _ **Newark, New Jersey**_

 _ **December 10** **th** **, 2012**_

 _ **Prudential Center**_

"Ladies, I'm sure you know why I've called you both into my office tonight," Vickie said, her tone frosty as she stared at AJ and myself.

"You've finally come to your senses and decided to fire this skank?" AJ retorted.

"AJ, what are you even doing here? Did someone leave your cage open?" I shot back venomously. "Or better yet, I'm surprised you even showed up after I beat the living hell out of you last week."

"Don't push your luck, Monroe," she sneered, marching forward so that she and I were basically in each other's faces. "You have no idea who're you're messing with."

"Nah, I think I do," I answered snidely. "You're the new notch in John Cena's belt. How's that going, by the way? Has he finally gotten fed up with your whiny ass? I mean, I don't like the man, but kicking you to the curb would be the best decision he's made all year."

"EXCUSE ME!" Vickie screamed, enabling me to instantly clamp my hands over my ears. "Both of you will calm down this instant or else there will be serious consequences! Valentina, you're already in enough trouble because of your actions last week as are your boys, so I suggest you calm down and listen to what I have to say!" She paused to clear her throat before giving us a stern look. "Since you two want to tear each other apart so badly, and since you're so hell-bent on revolutionizing this division, Valentina, tonight, for the first time in WWE history, you two will be competing in a Last Diva Standing match."

"Marvelous," I replied haughtily, and turned to AJ. "I look forward to kicking your ass again, in your own home state, no less."

I found myself whistling the Kill Bill theme again as I pushed the door open to the boy's locker room, unable to contain the excitement that flowed through my body.

"Didn't know you were a Tarantino fan, Vee," Dean chuckled.

"I love his work, buts that's not why I was whistling that song," I said, a sinister smile crossing my lips. "Remember how I said that I intended changing this division? Well, let's just say that change starts tonight."

"You're talking in riddles again, baby girl," Roman said, cocking a brow.

"Are you competing in a bra and panties match or something?" Dean teased, licking his lips. "Cause that's something I'd personally _love_ to see."

"Ambrose, would it kill you to apply your damn filter just once?!" Seth exclaimed irritably, before turning to me. "Seriously though, Vee, what the hell are you talking about? For the love of all that is holy, please tell me Dean's wrong and you're not really going to be in a bra and panties match…."

"HELL NO!" I exclaimed. "As much as I love and respect a lot of the former Divas that have competed in such matches, namely Lita and Candice Michelle, I'm not here to get stripped down to my underwear, I'm here to do what I love and make an impact. I'm going up against AJ tonight in a Last Diva Standing match."

"WHAT?!" Seth and Roman thundered, their eyes nearly popping out of their sockets.

"Damn, you really aren't fucking around," Dean said with a smirk.

"So, I take it you won't be helping us attack Cena then?" Seth questioned, crossing his arms.

"Relax man, we can handle him," Roman assured him before giving me a grin. "It's not every day we get to witness our baby girl bring the Divas division to its knees."

"Pretty sure you did last week," I said jokingly. "All kidding aside, I intend on getting AJ and the rest of the Divas to open their eyes tonight."

The next couple hours of Raw consisted of Vince making a match between Vickie and AJ, to which Vickie had won thanks to Brad Maddox being the referee and refusing to start the count when AJ tried to pin Vickie, R-Truth picking up a win against Wade Barrett, Damien Sandow and Cody Rhodes winning the Fatal Four Way Elimination Match against Primo and Epico, the Prime Time Players, and The Usos, Eve beat Alicia Fox, Punk and Heyman came out and informed everyone of Punks injury and that he'd be watching us take on Team Hell No and Ryback at TLC, Sheamus defeated Dolph Ziggler via DQ, Alberto Del Rio defeated Zack Ryder, and Cesaro picked up the win against Kolfi Kingston.

I exited the bathroom as Miz was doing another pointless edition of Miz TV and smoothed my hands over my ring gear: a black cropped one shoulder long sleeved top with leather paneling across the top of the bust and across the waist with black mesh overlay, black leather shorts, black fishnets, black combat boots, black fingerless gloves with heart cut-outs, and a black velvet choker with a silver heart in the center around my neck. My hair was in a half updo with three braids adorning both sides. My lips were coated in dark red lipstick and I'd gone with my signature smokey look for my eyes.

"Good luck out there tonight."

I turned my head to the side and came face to face with the Hybrid Diva herself, Kaitlyn. As much as I hated to admit it, she and Nattie were probably the only girls I respected out of the whole locker room. This was mostly due to the fact that seemed to put at least some –if not the most- effort in their matches.

"Thanks, Kaitlyn," I said earnestly. "That's surprisingly sweet of you. I would've thought you'd be giving me shit for beating the holy hell out of your best friend for what, the third time?"

"In case you haven't noticed, she and I aren't exactly friends anymore," she said with a sigh. "I tried to be there for her, I really did, but all I got was multiple slaps for it."

"That's not your fault either, and you're better off without her," I replied. "Look, I've got to head to the gorilla, but it was nice talking to you."

She nodded. "Same here. Kick her ass."

* * *

 _Hey you know you're lockin' lips with a libertine?_

 _Hey did you know you're knockin' hips with a killer queen?_

 _Another victim of my method of seduction_

 _I made you look but you never saw me comin'_

Pushing the curtain aside, I strutted down the ramp and if it was possible the boos were even louder this time. Then again, this was AJ's hometown and it was clear they were pissed at me for what I did to her last week. However, I truly didn't give a rat's ass.

"This is a Last Diva Standing match!" Justin Roberts announced. "Introducing first, from Brooklyn, New York: Valentina Monroe!"

"Well, we're surely in for a treat tonight!" Jerry said excitedly.

"Can you believe it? A Last Diva Standing match!" Cole exclaimed before looking over at the barricades. "And of course, the Shield are here at ringside."

"That honestly doesn't surprise me," Jerry snorted. "They've got to support their girl after all."

I leaned against the turnbuckles with a sickly sweet smile on my face and cracked my knuckles. This match was either gonna be my rise or my downfall. I had something to prove tonight. I had to prove that I wasn't your average cookie cutter Diva, I was a woman wrestler. And if I had to beat AJ black and blue in order to prove that point, then so be it.

 _Let's light it up!_

 _Light it up, Light it up!_

 _Light it tonight, let's light it up!_

 _Like shooting stars are burning light up the sky!_

The crowd cheered as AJ came skipping down the ramp and she tossed them all a grin.

"And her opponent, from Union City, New Jersey: AJ Lee!"

AJ had barely been in the ring five seconds before I sprinted towards her and took her down with a Spear. The ref signaled for the timekeeper to ring the bell, promptly starting the match.

After landing some good blows, I snatched her up by the hair and tossed her into one of the turnbuckles. I retaliated with two elbow shots to her face before being caught off guard when she propelled her knee into my stomach. I stumbled backwards with a gasp and she used this to her advantage, grabbing the end of my ponytail and chucking me face first into the turnbuckles.

"SHIT!" I growled as her arm struck me in the throat with a ferocious clothesline. AJ then backed away from me and giggled before taking a moment to glance at the crowd with an arrogant smile on her face. She backed up against the opposite turnbuckle, prepared to charge towards me again.

I saw this as a window of opportunity and I took it, hurling my body in her direction and delivering a clothesline. I unleashed an enraged scream as she got up and followed up with two more clotheslines before bouncing off the ropes and locking my legs around her neck, flinging her to the mat with a headscissors takedown.

Much to my chagrin, AJ managed to get to up after a few seconds passed and staggered back into the turnbuckles, rubbing her neck and groaning in pain. Shaking my head, I ran towards her… only to receive an elbow to my jaw.

I didn't even have a chance to bounce back because AJ draped her leg around my neck and hooked her leg over my left leg, trapping me in the Black Widow.

"Tap out, Monroe!" AJ shouted before looking at the ref. "Ask her! Ask her NOW!"

"What do you say, Valentina?" the ref asked.

"N-No!" I managed to gasp out as AJ's leg wound tighter around my neck.

"Valentina is in serious trouble right now," Cole said.

"She better find some way to break out of the Black Widow or AJ's gonna win this!" Jerry exclaimed.

"Valentina, you can do it! You've got this, sweetheart!" I weakly lifted my head to see that Seth was now leaning against the apron, relentlessly hitting it with his fists and staring at me an encouraging grin. That was all the incentive I needed to snatch AJ's ankle and, with all the strength I could muster, lifted it off my neck and thrust my elbow into her gut, forcing her off me.

I teetered towards the turnbuckles and clambered to the top. Crouching down, I waited until AJ was on her feet again before I dove off, delivering an arm drag as I grabbed her arm and flipped her over on to the canvas.

Ten minutes went by and during that time AJ and I had really gone out of our way to beat the shit out of each other, with AJ whipping me into the steel steps and the barricade, me hitting her with a reverse frakensteiner onto a steel chair, and me taking said steel chair and putting it between us when she went for a crossbody. The crowd was going nuts, chanting "Holy Shit!" and "This Is Awesome!" as they witnessed the most physical Divas match in years.

AJ laid outside the ring in unmitigated agony, with the chair beside her; the result of her wedging the chair into the corner and her charging face first into it after I moved out of the way. It wasn't until the ref had counted to eight that AJ grabbed onto the apron for dear life and ineptly regained her footing.

Scowling, I rolled out of the ring and delivered a kick to her stomach before executing Sin City, sending her spiraling into the steel steps with a loud crash.

I rolled back into the ring as the ref began count again. I felt my lips curl into an ardent smile once I saw that she was completely knocked out. He finally got to ten and called for the bell before raising my arm up in victory.

"Here is your winner: Valentina Monroe!"

"That was insane!" Cole shouted, clearly still in shock after everything that'd just happened. "I can only imagine how Cena feels after watching this."

"He's probably going out of his mind!" Jerry said. "One thing's for sure though, Valentina's a woman of her word and the Divas division has just gotten a wake-up call."

* * *

As soon as we were back in the locker room, I collapsed on the bench, unable to block out the inevitable pain that racked my body.

"Here, this should help a little." Seth came into the room with a big bag of ice and carefully sat me up and draped it over my shoulder, emitting a hiss from me as it came in contact with my aching muscles.

"You did incredible out there, Valentina," Roman said, lightly patting me on the shoulder.

"You were fucking awesome!" Dean yelled enthusiastically. "You brought the pain to AJ Lee tonight and without a doubt scared all those other girls shitless."

"One of the many reasons why I'm here," I replied derisively and glanced over at the monitor to see that John Cena was going for an Attitude Adjustment on Big Show. "I think that's your cue!"

"Go, go, go, go!" Seth commanded urgently, ushering Dean and Rome out the door before turning to me one last time.

"I'm so fucking proud of you sweetheart, I just wanted you to know," he murmured, swiftly kissing my cheek before bolting out of the room and leaving me in a perplexed state yet again.

Another groan left my lips as I pushed the bag of ice off me and glanced down at the multitude of bruises that covered my abs, my arms, and possibly my back. Then, using all the energy I could convoke, I limped over to my bag, reached inside, and took out my phone. I took a selfie and pics of my bruises before uploading them.

 _ **TheKillerQueenOfWWE: For anyone that thinks what we do here is all smoke and mirrors… this is proof that it's anything but. I promised you all a change, and tonight was a preview of coming events. #LastDivaStanding #Attitude Era #BringItOnGirls #WelcomeToMyKingdom**_

* * *

"Wakey wakey, my Queen," Seth murmured, gently stroking some hair out of my face, letting his fingers graze my cheek.

"Rollins, you better have a fucking good reason for waking my ass up this early," I grumbled, before yawning and opening my eyes. I gasped quietly once I saw that Seth had ordered room service for me, having laid out a tray on my lap with a metal covered plate, a glass of orange juice, and a bowl of fresh fruit.

He took the metal cover off to reveal an omelette filled with cheese, ham and tomatoes, three waffles with a side of syrup and butter, bacon, and hash browns.

"Seth…. This…. This looks and smells incredible," I said breathlessly. "This is the sweetest thing anyone's ever done for me, thank you."

"Anytime, gorgeous," he replied, ruffling my hair. "You deserve it after giving the WWE Universe one hell of a match last night. We've got a couple hours before we have to be on the road, so just take your time and relax."

When I was done eating, I slid my legs out of bed and pulled on my Bugs Bunny slippers and rubbed my eyes again as I trudged over to my suitcase. After ten minutes of rummaging I settled on a black leather studded cropped jacket, burgundy colored torn skinny jeans, a black flowy racerback tank that said _The Pretty Reckless Going To Hell_ (my all-time favorite band), black platform knee high boots with buckles on both sides, a silver choker embellished with pearly beads and antique-style cross charms, cross earrings, and black lace fingerless gloves.

I took a quick shower and left my makeup light and left my hair in loose waves. Lucky for us, the drive from Newark to Bridgeport was only an hour and a half so the guys had enough time to get their daily workout in before we checked out.

* * *

 _ **Smackdown taping**_

 _ **December 11th, 2012**_

 _ **Bridgeport, Connecticut**_

 _ **Webster Bank Arena**_

"The Queen has arrived in Bridgeport!" I said cockily as I climbed out of the backseat of our rental car.

"And here she comes to wreck the daaaayyyy!" Dean yelled tauntingly, giving me a playful shove.

"Fuck you, Ambrose!" I snapped, shoving him back and crossing my arms.

"You've already had my answer to that statement, darlin'," he replied cheekily as we approached one of the security guys, who promptly let us in after showing him our badges.

It didn't take long for us to put our next plan in motion once we'd changed into our gear. Phase one of tonight's plan was to take out Randy Orton. We'd bided our time for an hour or so into the show before tracking him down, and let's just say the odds were NOT in Randy's favor when we did….

"Come on, Randy! Come on!" Seth spat as we incessantly stomped on and kicked him as he helplessly lied on a broken table. Seth continued to yell at him as Roman pulled him up and mercilessly headbutted him. That was all it took to efficaciously knock Randy unconscious. Seth wore a proud smirk as he clapped Roman on the chest twice before Dean gestured for us to leave.

 _One down, three more to go._

We patiently sat backstage watching yet another Miz TV segment on one of the monitors. The Miz stood in the middle of the ring, looking cockier than ever as he brought the mic to his lips, "Welcome to the must see WWE talk show in history, welcome to Miz TV! Now everyone in the WWE universe knows I'm not one to shy away from controversy and the most controversial individuals in the WWE are a rogue unit known as The Shield: Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, Valentina Monroe, and Roman Reigns. These three NXT upstarts have been wreaking havoc all over WWE all in the name of righting what they perceive as 'injustices'."

"He's really asking for it now," I growled through gritted teeth.

"All in good time, Vee," Seth said, tapping the camera he held in his hand.

I stubbornly nodded in response and stared back at the screen as Miz introduced his guests for tonight: Kane and Daniel Bryan. Kane's pyro went off and both men made their way to the ring and stood in front of Miz.

"Daniel, I'll start with you," Miz began. "Since I've known you, since you started in the WWE, how does it feel…?"

"Wait, wait, wait!" Daniel interjected. "Hold up. How did it feel? Who are you, Oprah?! Kane and I have been in anger management for months talking about our feelings and the time for talk is over. Now it's time for action, and on Sunday, all that anger that they say I have will be unleashed with tables, with ladders, with chairs, all over The Shield until they are lying in this ring _begging_ for the pain to stop! And when they're begging, do you know what I'm gonna say to them, Miz?"

"No, I…."

"I'm gonna say NO," Daniel said determinedly. "NO! NO!" he chanted wiliest the crowd just chanted "YES!"

"The Shield made the biggest mistakes of their lives by attacking us because the end result is that Daniel and I are finally on the same page and that's bad news for everyone else," Kane snarled. "See now that Daniel has discovered his inner monster we ARE unstoppable. And we WILL use tables!"

"YES!" Daniel shouted.

"We WILL use ladders!"

"YES!"

"We will use chairs!"

"YES!"

"And we will love EVERY single second of it!"

"YES! YES! YES! YES! YES!"

"It's show time," Seth whispered, hitting the 'on' button on the camera and handed it to Dean, who aimed it at all four of us.

"So _sorry_ to interrupt fellas," I said scornfully and laid my head on Seth's shoulder. "I'm Valentina Monroe."

"I'm Dean Ambrose," Dean said and pointed the camera at Seth.

"Seth Rollins here!"

"Roman Reigns."

"We are The Shield!" Dean sneered. "And we've been listening to you two make your empty threats, and if you wanna find out what happens when you threaten The Shield, ask Randy Orton!"

"Justice!" Seth piped up. "Justice is what happens! We are the harbingers of justice in WWE, and you two and Ryback are three of the main perpetrators of injustice and we have dealt with you swiftly and efficiently."

"Your actions… they forced our hand," Roman said.

"Oh, Danny boy!" I jeered. "You really think you're all big and bad just because you've got the devil's favorite demon backing you up?"

"And what about you, Kane?" Roman asked. "You went from a monster… to a helpless victim. The Shield did that!"

"Just forty-eight hours!" Dean yelled. "At TLC, The Shield brings the sword! And justice… will be served."

"Why wait til Sunday?" Kane asked. The four of us laughed and Dean handed the camera to Roman.

"Finally… something we agree on."

He set the camera down and we left the room and walked down the hallway until we came to the door that lead to the upper levels of the arena. Roman pushed it open and we walked out and stood behind a few fans.

Kane and Daniel spent a good minute or two frantically searching for us before Daniel spotted us. The spot light gave away our location as we stared down at them with smug grins. Dean gestured for us to split up, so he and Seth went to one side of the arena while Roman and I took the other. We'd gotten halfway down the steps before our third opponent deiced to "grace" us with his prescence.

 _FEED. ME. MORE!_

"GODDAMMIT!" I screamed, stamping my foot in irritation and furiously raking my hands through my hair as Ryback darted down the ramp. Roman stopped dead in his tracks as did Seth and Dean. We didn't plan for this and there was no way we were going to risk putting ourselves in harm's way before TLC.

"We've got to back down," I said dejectedly, looking at Roman. "We'll get them on Sunday."

"You're right, baby girl," Roman mumbled, linking his arm with mine as we turned and walked back up the stairs, Seth and Dean copied our actions. We glared down at them as Ryback lead a "FEED ME MORE!" chant.

"Enjoy that while you can!" I screamed murderously, leaning over the railing. "But this Sunday, we WILL be standing tall, and you three will be stretchered out of the building!"

* * *

I woke up feeling more driven than ever the following morning. Luckily for us, we didn't have a ton of house shows and appearances to do prior to TLC, which meant we were able to book another suite in Florida and headed down to the Performance Center in the meantime to squeeze in as much training as possible.

For my training gear I settled on a black cropped t-shirt that said _Support Women's Wrestling_ , black and white track shorts with The Pretty Reckless logo on them, and black and white Puma sneakers. I gathered my hair into a messy ponytail and pulled on my Harley Quinn snapback before loading my water bottle, some extra clothes, and my phone into my Harley Quinn backpack.

The boys were waiting for me in the lobby so I'd abruptly sent them a quick text saying I'd be right down in order to avoid Dean nagging me again. Then I hauled ass out the door and into the elevator around the corridor. I was in the elevator for about ten seconds before I looked down and noticed my shoelace was untied. Letting out an exasperated sigh, I knelt down and began to re-tie it.

"Need a hand there, sweetheart?"

My chin was suddenly tilted up and it took every bit of self-control I had not to faint at the sight before me. Seth was in the elevator with me. It was just the two of us. His hair hung in a low man bun… and he was shirtless, wearing only a pair of black basketball shorts.

I leisurely stood up, my gaze never leaving his as I did so. He raised his hand, and using his middle and index finger, he lightly traced my lips. His fingers lingered on my bottom lip for a few seconds before he leaned in… and kissed me. It wasn't a small peck either. No. This kiss was so heated I barely had time to react.

His tongue slid across my bottom lip, asking for entrance and I granted it to him, grasping his biceps as he deepened the kiss. His tongue explored every crevice of my mouth has his hands cupped my jaw. Part of me wanted to tell him stop… just pause for a minute so I could wrap my head around this.

And yet I didn't, because the other part of me wanted him to keep going….

Seth suddenly broke the kiss and stared at me, his brown orbs now a deep shade of lust as he took hold of my hands and brought them above my head, emitting a whimper from me.

"I can't tell you how long I've waited to do this, Valentina," he murmured against my neck as he kissed and bit it.

"OH, FUCK!" I cried out once his teeth lightly nibbled on my pulse.

"I thought you'd never ask," he chuckled against my throat. He took my hat off and pulled my shirt over my head, my black sports bra quickly following.

He licked his lips as he took in the sight of my ample C cups. He kneaded them in his hands, causing me to moan quietly. He then lowered his head and feathered kisses down my neck until he reached my bare breasts.

"So goddamn beautiful," he murmured against my right nipple before latching onto it, kissing and licking it while his hand caressed my left breast. He removed his mouth from my breast seconds later and grazed my sternum piercing with his tongue, making me whimper and arch against him. He lowered his left hand against the small of my back before he continued the same sweet torture on my left breast.

"Oh, Seth," I moaned, my eyes rolling back in ecstasy while my nails scraped the wall behind me.

He gave me a salacious grin as he kissed the valley of my breasts. "Are you ready for me, sweetheart?"

"Y-Yes," I whined, rolling my hips into him. That was all it took. He slipped a hand inside my shorts and rubbed my panty covered slit and chuckled lowly. "You're soaked, Vee. Let's see if you taste as sweet as I imagined."

"Oh… my… fucking… God… S-Seth…. p-please," I whimpered as his fingers plunged into my core and moved at a tortuously slow pace.

"That's it, sweetheart," he whispered huskily. "Let go... Cum for me…"

It was then that I knew that this was too good to be true. There was no way this was really happening.

"T-This isn't real," I gasped, grinding my hips against his fingers, the coil in my stomach tightening. Another guttural moan spilled from my lips as he rubbed my swollen clit.

"It can be, Vee," he breathed in my ear, tenderly peppering kisses across my jaw. "It can be."

The bell on the elevator suddenly dinged, snapping me back to reality. My face was flushed, sweat covered my forehead... and my panties were soaked.

To top it all off, the elevator doors opened to reveal none other than the man I just had a borderline x-rated daydream about.

"Hey you," he greeted me. "I was just on my way up to see what was keeping you. Are you okay? You look a little… dazed."

"Just somewhat nervous for TLC I guess," I lied, awkwardly rubbing the back of my neck.

"Don't be, we've got this. They don't have a chance," he said reassuringly and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. "Now, let's let down to business, shall we?"

I grinned at him. "Lead the way, Rollins." Although I was grinning on the outside, the only thing on my mind was…

 _WHAT THE FUCK JUST HAPPENED?!_

* * *

 _ **A/N: Hope you all had a great Christmas and I wish you a very Happy New Year!**_


	8. You'll Never Lose Me

_**A/N:**_ _Hello all! So, this is it, we're finally at TLC and trust me when I say you may want to grab your Kleenex for this one because shit's about to get real._

 _ **Lill2350 -**_ _*claps hands* Thank you so, so much, hun! I can't tell you how nervous I was writing that fantasy, but knowing how much you enjoyed it makes me feel so relieved and happy. I'm so glad you liked the Last Man Standing match between Valentina and AJ. They've definitely got that whole Mickie/Victoria rivalry going on XD And no problem! I really love Olivia's character and I'm interested in seeing her relationship progress with Seth and the boys. Thanks again for reviewing!_

* * *

 _ **Chapter Eight – You'll Never Lose Me**_

* * *

" _ **You don't want me, no**_

 _ **You don't need me**_

 _ **Like I want you, oh**_

 _ **Like I need you**_

 _ **And I want you in my life**_

 _ **And I need you in my life**_

 _ **You can't see me, no**_

 _ **Like I see you**_

 _ **I can't have you, no**_

 _ **Like you have me**_

 _ **And I want you in my life**_

 _ **And I need you in my life**_

 _ **Love**_

 _ **Love**_

 _ **Love**_

 _ **You can't feel me, no**_

 _ **Like I feel you**_

 _ **I can't steal you, no**_

 _ **Like you stole me." You by The Pretty Reckless**_

* * *

"Baby girl, are you even trying?"

"What the fuck do you think?!"

"I think you're making this far too easy for me."

"Roman, I will put itching powder in your fucking shampoo if you don't put me the fuck down! Ugh, I can feel the blood rushing to my head!"

"I know we're supposed to be taking this shit seriously, but now I kinda wish I had some popcorn for this oh-so hilarious moment."

"Dean, you're supposed to be the fucking referee for fucks sake! At this rate, I'd rather have a donkey as the referee! Hell, even a nutless monkey could do a fucking better job!"

"I'd watch that mouth if I were you, darlin', unless you want another Dirty Deeds."

"Guys, come on, I think she's had enough."

"Ease up, Sethie, we won't hurt her too bad because we know how badly you wanna fuck her until the sun comes up."

"DEAN!"

"Eat shit, Ambrose!"

Roman reluctantly let go of my ankle –effectively dropping me on my head in the process- because he was more than entertained by the Ambrose/Monroe/Rollins banter. I landed with a thud and glared up at him. "You could've put me down gently, you ass!"

"Hate to break it to you, Vee, but Team Hell No and Ryback aren't gonna be gentle with you just because you're a woman. In fact, Kane's tombstoned women before and he'll gladly do the same to you with no hesitatio-Argh!"

I swiftly cut him off with a spear and hooked his legs up. Dean noticed this and stopped arguing with Seth before falling to his knees and hitting the mat with his fist.

"One!"

"Tw-"

Roman got the shoulder up, emitting an exasperated scream from me which was abruptly followed by a two frustrated hits to the mat.

Roman stood up and cockily grinned at me. "You're holding back on me, Monroe. What happened to the vicious, cunning Killer Queen that kicked AJ's ass and handed Team Hell No and Ryback theirs a few days ago, hmm?"

"Don't fucking start with me, Roman," I warned.

He chuckled. "Or are you still asshurt that my spear will always be better than yours?"

"If you're trying to piss her off, you're going about it the wrong way, man. This, is how you piss her off."

Dean's hand suddenly came down hard on my ass, causing me to scream and turn to him with an aggravated glare.

"Ambrose, you've really got a death wish, don't you?" I snarled under my breath, and stalked towards him.

"Hey, hey, hey! Break it up!" Seth's arms suddenly wrapped around me and pulled me away from Dean. "We're supposed to be training, not trying to kill each other!"

"Then why don't you two give it a shot?" Dean suggested, a devious grin spreading across his face.

"Oh, this I gotta see," Roman said, getting to his feet and leaning against the turnbuckles.

"Remember, I'm the ref and what I say goes, so don't be tryin' to fuck each other in the middle of the ring," Dean said brashly.

I riposted by giving him the finger again while Seth just rolled his eyes. Then we looked at each other and locked up. Using the right amount of strength, I was able to overpower him and back him into a turnbuckle. I held him there until Dean counted to four before releasing my grip and backing up.

Grunting, I advanced on him again, but Seth was quick to anticipate my next move. Locking an arm around my neck while the other rested on my waist, he propelled his body backwards and drove me face-first into the center turnbuckle with a reverse STO. Then he turned me over so that I was on my back and went for the pin.

"One!"

"Two!"

I jerked my body upwards and got the shoulder up, which caused Seth to look down at me with a challenging smirk on his face.

"You didn't think it was gonna be that easy, did you?" I said slyly, hurling my body upwards into a kip-up.

"Oh, you're mine now, Vee," he murmured before standing up.

"There's no flirting in wrestling!" Dean derisively cut in. "Either get your heads in the game or get a fucking room!"

I simply scowled at his remark before launching myself at Seth again. Looping my arms around his neck, I leapt up and drove my knees into his gut, taking him down with a front lung blower.

I leisurely took a couple steps back and waited for him to get to his feet. Still dazed, he scrambled to his feet and I sprinted towards him again and turning by body sideways. He let out a pained grunt as I connected with a spinning heel kick. Breathing heavily, I pulled his leg up.

"One!"

"Two!"

"Three!"

Smiling, I sat up and pushed my hair away from my face before holding my hand out to Seth, which he took. For the remainder of the day we trained like we were entering the Olympics. Well, maybe not that hard, but it was still safe to confirm that Team Hell No and Ryback were about to be in for the fight of their lives. Aside from that, no matter how hard I tried, that fantasy I had about Seth was still on my mind, practically tormenting me for the remainder of the week. _No._ I had to stop thinking about it and I had to do it now. The last thing I needed was _that_ in my head going into TLC. Besides, it meant nothing… right?

* * *

 _ **TLC**_

 _ **December 16th, 2012**_

 _ **Brooklyn, New York**_

 _ **Barclays Center**_

"Okay, you can do this, because you are one tough bitch," I said tenaciously as I peered at myself in the mirror and skimmed my fingers over my gear: a black PVC crop top with eyelets along the front, black shorts adorned with fishnet paneling and studs, black lycra fingerless gloves, black o-ring choker decorated with spikes, black fishnets, and black distressed leather lace-up boots. My hair fell in loose waves and my eye makeup was dark and dangerous while my lips were coated in a dark cranberry colored lipstick. I then took a mirror selfie and posted it on Twitter and Instagram.

 _ **TheKillerQueenOfWWE: Well, hellllllooooo Brooklyn! Tonight, we're bringing the sword of justice and KaneWWE, WWEDanielBryan, and Ryback22... shall fall. #Brooklyn #TLC #ThisIsOurYard #MirrorMirrorOnTheWallWhoWillDominateThemAll? #BelieveInTheShield**_

I'd only been walking down the corridor for a grand total of ten seconds before I heard a, "Psst! Monroe!"

Whirling around, I saw Dean motioning for me to follow him and quirked a brow. "What are you up to this time, Ambrose?"

"Just follow me; we wanna send a little message to our opponents before the match," he replied, before eying my ring gear with a grin. "Oh, and I hope you don't mind me saying this, but… you look hot."

"Thanks, Deano!" I grinned, raising my fist and fist-bumping him. "So, is Jon Moxley about to make an appearance tonight?"

He slung an arm around my shoulders and chuckled as we began walking down the corridor. "Possibly, if that's what it takes to get these dickheads to open their eyes. What about you? You ready to tap into that cunning, malicious side of yours that drives Sethie boy crazy?"

"You bet your ass I am, they'll never know what hit em'."

* * *

"Wow," Seth breathed once Dean and I walked into the room, his eyes darkening as he took in my appearance.

"Way to go, Vee, you've turned him on," Roman snickered, lightly elbowing Seth. "Stop drooling, man, can't have you going out there with a boner. And I know for a fact that you don't wanna traumatize all those kids in the audience."

Seth shook his head and scoffed at Roman's remark before he cleared his throat and held up the camera. "Now I'm assuming Dean already told you the plan?"

"Yeah, he said you guys wanted to send them one last message to really fuck with their minds," I affirmed, walking over to stand beside him. Dean stood on the other side of Seth and Roman stood next to Dean.

"Precisely," he said with a smirk before hitting the 'on' button and pointing the camera at himself. "My name is Seth Rollins!"

"I'm Valentina Monroe."

"I'm Roman Reigns."

"I'm Dean Ambrose," Dean sneered. "We are The Shield; the shield of justice. Ryback, you put WWE Champion CM Punk into surgery?!"

"Big mistake pinhead!" I jeered, letting out a maniacal giggle.

"You're reckless!" Dean spat. "You're dangerous! Punk's champion for 392 days and he's robbed of the honor of defending his title tonight?!"

"We can't let it stand," Roman growled. "We won't let it stand."

"So tonight, Ryback, The Shield gives you a taste of your own medicine!" Dean said menacingly.

"Feed Me More! Feed Me More!" Seth mocked. "Well tonight, The Shield will feed you more than you can handle."

"And when you and your "teammates" are broken, bloody, and defenseless, The Shield will finish you!" I said venomously.

"Kane! Daniel!" Dean snarled. "You think you two are off the hook?"

"Hell no," Roman snorted.

Seth rolled his eyes. "You guys have the audacity to walk around calling yourselves the Tag Team Champions?!"

"A team never argues," I pointed out.

"A team never doubts each other," Dean added. "A team works together. A team trusts each other!"

"Right!" Seth agreed, nodding his head.

"A team fights together," Dean said matter-of-factly.

"And most importantly… a team wins together," I said smugly.

"Tonight, we fight together, we win together!" Dean declared. "You two are a disgrace! You're an insult to all tag teams and what a tag team should stand for! _That_ is an injustice! And on top of all that…"

"… We just don't like you," Roman finished.

"I'm Dean Ambrose."

"Seth Rollins."

"Valentina Monroe."

"Roman Reigns. Welcome to the shield of justice."

* * *

Keeping my nerves at bay was easier said than done once the stagehand told us to go to our mark. Even though the boys assured me that we had this in the bag, I was still in a 'don't fuck this up' state of mind. Not only was I competing in my first pay-per-view in WWE, but said pay-per-view also happened to be in my own backyard. I had no doubt in my mind that my dad was watching, as well as all my fellow Brooklyn fans, which added to my nervousness.

 _ **Sierra. Hotel. Echo. Lima. Delta. Shield**_

Thunderous guitar riffs and drums reverberated throughout the arena as the four of us marched down the steps. We split up halfway and I followed Dean and Seth while Roman went the opposite way.

"And their opponents, at a combined weight of 838 pounds, Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Valentina Monroe, and Dean Ambrose: The Shield!" Justin Roberts announced.

"Seth Rollins, leading the charge, Dean Ambrose in the middle and Valentina Monroe right behind him, and on the other side is Roman Reigns" Michael Cole said. "As they get set for their first match in WWE and it's no normal match-up. It's tables, ladders, and chairs, and all those things can be used in this match. Not only that, but it's also an intergender tag team match, meaning that Valentina also gets to take on Team Hell No and Ryback. On top of that, for the first time ever, this match is also gonna end via pinfall or submission, wasting little time-"

All hell quickly broke loose as Daniel ran towards Seth and I and Ryback and Kane went after Dean and Roman. Seth and I traded countless blows with Daniel, but he refused to go down that easily. He rotated his leg, sweeping my legs out from underneath me before wrapping his arms around Seth's stomach and ramming him into the ring post.

I clenched my teeth as the pain shot through my back, but I refused to fully acknowledge it and scrambled to my feet as Daniel hurled Seth into the barricade. Rushing forward, I corkscrewed my arms around him and floored him with a spear.

"Spear!" Cole exclaimed. "A spear from Valentina Monroe!"

"That's the way to do it!" JBL said.

Seth gave me a quick high-five before grabbing Daniel's arm and retaliated with another array of punches with me abruptly following suit. Somehow, Daniel once again found the strength to overpower us and hurled both of us back-first into the apron. He lunged toward us again, only to me met with elbow jab to the face courtesy of me. Seth grabbed Daniel again and chucked him into the barricade.

I glanced over my shoulder to see Dean delivering chops to Ryback, but Ryback wasn't fazed by any of them. He growled and bounced back with a few chops of his own, each one fully effective in knocking Dean on his ass. He whipped Dean into the ropes before going for a powerslam, but Dean countered it and began kicking Ryback's legs. A "GOLDBERG" chant rang out as Dean delivered an elbow shot to Ryback's back. He backed up and rebounded off the ropes, but Ryback caught him and slammed him down with a Thez Press and then started ramming Dean's head into the mat.

Roman took his attention off Kane, with Seth and I doing the same with Daniel in order to slide in the ring and triple-team Ryback. Dean got to his feet and we all ruthlessly punched and stomped on him. Our beat down was short lived as Ryback shoved us off him. Hurling himself forward, he struck Seth and I with a double clothesline over the top rope. A strangled cry left my mouth as my back smacked against the hard floor, but I couldn't help but force a small smile when I saw Dean dropkick Ryback off the apron.

Dragging myself up, I climbed into the ring again with the boys, scowling when Kane suddenly grabbed a ladder and slid it into the ring. Seth put a stop to that, and briskly dropkicked it into his face.

In a flash, Daniel was in the ring again and drove Dean into the turnbuckles. He only got a couple hits in before Roman and I intervened. Merciless punches were thrown at Daniel's back before Dean tossed him into the ring post and responded with a few punches of his own.

Seth gestured for Dean and I to follow him and we left Daniel to Roman, knowing he had it under control. Seth pointed to the ladder and we nodded our heads in response. Seth and I took hold of the top of the ladder and lifted it up while Dean grabbed the base of it.

"ROMAN!" I yelled. The Samoan swiftly turned around to see the three of us holding up the ladder. Wasting little time, he seizing hold of Daniel by the hair and propelled him face first into the ladder. However, we weren't able to celebrate our accomplishment.

Unexpectedly, Ryback rolled into the ring again and took out Roman before dropkicking the ladder into Dean, Seth, and I. I howled and writhed in agony as he repeatedly slammed the ladder onto us, augmenting the unalloyed pain I was already in. He lifted the ladder up higher and mercilessly brought it down again and again, forcing more harrowing screams from the three of us.

Thankfully Roman stormed into the ring before Ryback could do anymore damage –if that was even possible at this point- and jabbed him in the ribs with a steel chair before pelting him across the back with it.

Rolling out of the ring, I knelt down by the apron and rubbed my stomach, hissing in pain through gritted teeth as I did so. As much as I hated to admit it, these fuckers were truly giving us the fight of our lives. They detested us and wanted us to pay for what we'd done to them these past couple weeks. On the other hand, we were The Shield, and we'd be damned if we let them walk out of here victorious. There's only one way they'd be leaving this arena… on a fucking stretcher.

My head snapped up when I heard Roman cry out in pain. Kane and Daniel had whipped him into a ladder that'd been set up against the turnbuckles. Kane grabbed Daniel by the wrist again and Daniel connected with a dropkick as Kane whipped him into Roman, which sent him toppling over.

"ROMAN!" I shouted as Kane went for the pin, and then sighed in relief when Roman kicked out at two.

Daniel stepped over the ropes and delivered a kick to Seth's head. He doubled over and Dean grabbed Daniel's ankle and flipped him onto his back. Daniel rolled off the ring apron and I looked at Dean, a mischievous smile crept onto my face as a thought of an alternative plan to take out Bryan.

I lightly grabbed the back of his neck, pulled him down to my height and whispered, "Get Goatboy over to the announce table, I've got an idea."

He chuckled darkly. "Can do, darlin'."

"Oh God, what are these two up to now?!" Cole demanded.

"You know Valentina and Dean, whenever these two work together chances are their opponent's not gonna come out unscathed!" Lawler exclaimed.

"It's teamwork!" JBL argued. "Like they said earlier, they're a team and they'll always fight together and have each other's backs!"

I rolled into the ring again and crouched down, waiting for the opportune moment. I had to time this right and pray that Daniel did move out of the way… or else I was fucked.

"WE WANT TABLES!" the crowd chanted as Dean grabbed the back of Daniel's head and threw him into the ring post. He landed in a heap beside the announce table and that's when I barreled forward. I dove out of the ring, looped my arm around his neck, flung my body around and executed a suicide dive tornado DDT.

"Oh my God!" Cole shouted. "Did you just see that?!"

"Valentina had a plan and she was more than willing to go through with it even if it meant hurting herself," JBL said.

"Well her condition's not as bad as Daniel's is right now, I can tell you that much!" Lawler chortled.

Dean walked over wielding a steel chair and using his free hand, he helped me to my feet and patted me on the back.

"Hey, mind if I borrow that for a sec?" I asked sweetly, nodding my head towards the chair.

"Be my guest," Dean drawled, handing it over.

I took it from him and laid it beside Daniel's body before snatching him up by the hair and hastily convolved my arm around his throat before nailing him with a Femme Fatale. His back hit the chair with a loud thwack and he rolled onto his side with a groan.

Seth's screams suddenly filled the air and I swiveled around to see that Kane had wedged him in between the ladder and was continually taking chairshots to Seth's body. Infuriatedly, I kicked Daniel off the chair, picked it up again, rushed into the ring and struck Kane across the back with it. Dean came to Seth's aid as well, driving another chair into Kane's ribs and then hit him with a DDT onto it.

I stalked over to Seth and gingerly wrapped my arms around him. "How you holding up, Architect?"

"N-No comment," he mumbled against my shoulder, and leaned against me for support.

Out of nowhere, I was pulled off Seth and thrown against one of the turnbuckles. Ryback smirked at me and delivered a harsh chop to my stomach and then another one to my chest, causing me to cry out once more. Seth and Dean ran over and pounced on him, but Ryback pushed them off and chucked Dean into the opposite turnbuckle before doing the same to Seth.

Dean lunged at Ryback and ferociously punched him in the back a couple times before pulling him up and applying a camel clutch to hold him in place. Through my peripheral, I saw that Seth was now wielding the ladder and shoved it into Ryback's gut. Still somewhat stunned from the chops, I staggered to my feet and walked over to them as Dean bounced Ryback's head off the ladder. He dumped the ladder over Ryback's chest before hoisting it up and pointing it towards me. I tauntingly waved down at Ryback before callously plunking it onto him.

Dean then lifted the ladder up walked over the turnbuckles, laying the ladder against it with Seth and I helping out and making sure it didn't fall over. Seth looked at me and pointed at Ryback for a brief moment before storming over and delivering a sharp kick to the man's back.

"You can't win, Big Guy!" I shouted, swiftly kicking him in the chest as he tried to crawl away from us.

We backed him into the turnbuckle adjacent to the ladder, each of us winding our arms around him and setting up for an Irish whip. Ryback let out a growl and precipitously grabbed the back of our heads.

"For the love of-" I managed to grit out, before I was firmly planted on my stomach along with Seth and Dean.

Ryback grabbed Dean's arm and whipped him into the ropes. Dean rebounded off them, only to be met with a clothesline. He did the same to Seth, and then turned to me. My eyes widened and I desperately tried to back away from him, but he was quicker and snatched my arm. He rammed me with a clothesline before lifting me up and tossing me into the turnbuckles... and right into Dean. Seth was leaning up against the ladder, trying to catch his breath. Ryback suddenly looked at me with a twisted smile on his face. Next thing I knew, his hand coiled around my wrist and he ferally whipped me into Seth. My back collided with his chest, but that was mild compared to what I felt next. I let out an excruciating scream as Ryback whipped Dean into me and then inexorably slammed himself into all three of us, crushing us against the ladder.

Collapsing alongside Seth, I whimpered, unable to block out the unbearable pain that'd now surged through my body. Ryback seized me by the hair and wrapped his arm around my neck before standing in front of the ladder. Another shrill scream was forced from my mouth as he suplexed me, my face twisting in agony as my back collided with several rungs. Not letting up, Ryback delivered a double suplex to Dean and Seth. He picked them up again as they rolled off the ladder.

Roman bolted into the ring and punched Ryback in the stomach followed by the back, eminently saving our asses. Roman and Dean pummeled Ryback with kicks before Dean jabbed Ryback in the gut with a chair and Roman dropped the ladder on him.

"Come on, sweetheart, I need you to stay with me," Seth murmured, carefully helping me to my feet. Coughing, I nodded and wrapped my arms around his neck. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Dean drag Ryback out of the ring and Roman following him.

"GET UP FOOLS! THIS SPOT'S TAKEN NOW!" Roman shouted at the Spanish announce team as he began to clear their table.

Hopping out of the ring, I tossed one of the monitors on the Spanish announce table aside and turned towards the crowd and shouted, "BELIEVE IN THE SHIELD, BROOKLYN! THIS IS OUR YARD NOW!" Half of them chanted my name in response, while the latter booed me like there was no tomorrow. I refused to let it faze me as I turned on my heel and watched Dean and Seth hoist Ryback onto Roman's shoulders and triple powerbombed him through the table.

I looked down at Ryback and waved mockingly. "That's what you get!" I said snidely before flinging my arms around Roman and Dean. Then Daniel fucking Bryan had to be the fucking hero again and leapt through the ropes, taking all of us out with a suicide dive.

 _What will it take to end these fuckwits?!_

He kicked us while we were down before we promptly leapt to their feet and pushed him backwards into the apron, quickly turning it into a four-on-one assault. Something hard suddenly slammed against my back, forcing be to sink to my knees and clutch it.

Kane laughed at me before heaving himself in Roman's direction while Daniel and Seth brawled inside the ring. Daniel picked up a chair and delivered two shots to Seth's back. Dean ran in and jabbed Daniel in the face.

"DEAN!" I shouted, causing the lunatic to look over at me. "HOLD HIM!"

Dean nodded and put Daniel in a cobra clutch while I achingly picked myself up and rolled under the ropes. My eyes landed on the ladder. Licking my lips in concentration, I grasped it and walked over to the turnbuckles, tactfully lodging it in the center one. Swiveling around, I sauntered over to Dean and Daniel. Dean released Daniel as I pulled him up by his wrists. Wrenching my body sideways, I whipped him into the ladder.

He barreled face-first into the ladder and cried out in pain. He laid on the mat for about two seconds before Dean decided to join in on the fun. He picked up a chair, followed by Daniel, and lined the chair up so it was pressed against Daniel's back before lifting Daniel up and brutally slamming him into the chair. Then Seth managed to subdue him momentarily with a chairshot.

"Come on, Goatface! Come on, Goatface!" Dean sneered, his hand wrapping around Daniel's throat. He makes good use of the chair again, bashing Daniel's head into it before hoisting him up again and countlessly power slamming him onto it.

All the while, Seth had snapped the legs of the table open, determination evident in his features as he turned to me. I put my hand up, letting him know I had one more trick up my sleeve before clambering up to the top turnbuckle. Dean, sensing that I was aiming for Daniel, dragged him over as I turned around and meticulously steadied myself. I backflipped off, wrapping my arm around Daniel's neck and propelled him downwards in a shooting star DDT.

Jolting upward with an appeased grin on my face, I strode over to Seth and Dean, helped them turn the table over, and propped it on the top turnbuckle. Roman -who was patrolling the outside of the ring- gave us a nod, meaning that Kane and Ryback had been taken care of.

Dean and Seth shoved Daniel into the table, both men letting out a chuckle as he dropped to the mat. They lifted both him and themselves on to the table and draped Daniel's arms over their shoulders.

"Good God almighty!" I exclaimed, anxiously raking my hands through my hair as they superplexed Daniel off the table. Roman was back in the ring in seconds, hooking Daniel's leg and going for the pin.

"One!"

"Two!"

Kane broke up the pin, enabling me to stamp my foot in frustration. Roman launched himself at Kane, but Kane moved out of the way and Roman went tumbling over the ropes.

Dean grabbed Kane's arms and held him in place while Seth jabbed him in the stomach with a chair. I snatched it from his hands and infuriatingly thrust it into his gut.

"THIS IS AWESOME! THIS IS AWESOME!" The crowd chanted as Dean and Seth repeated their actions from earlier and pushed Kane head first into the table.

They propped the table up again; making sure it was steady before lifting Kane up and placing him face down on the table. Dean suddenly turned to me and let out a chuckle. "Hey, Monroe! Mind giving us a hand with Kaney here?"

"Gladly!" I skipped over to them and Seth moved to the right side of the table while I took the left. Dean placed a hand on my back, rigorously hoisting me up onto the table. Propping up on my knees, I elbowed Kane in the face in attempt to weaken him, but all it did was stun him.

Kane lunged forward, his hands roughly connecting with my chest with enough force to send me plummeting off the table. Another piercing scream ripped through my throat as my body smashed into the steel steps for a brief second before hitting the hard floor.

I could hear Cole, Lawler, and JBL screaming like madmen as a result, but I was in far too much pain to pay them any mind at the moment. I didn't know how much more pain my body could take, but I couldn't give up. Even if I wanted to, it wasn't an option. I had to keep fighting, not just for myself but for my boys as well. They were counting on me, and I'd be damned if I threw in the towel and let them down.

 _A team works together. A team trusts each other. A team fights together_

Dean's words rang through my head, giving me more reason to strenuously push myself up. A pair of strong, tanned arms wound around me. Already knowing who it was, I leaned into him and coughed again.

"We're almost done here, Vee, don't worry," he breathed in my ear.

"Great, because I'm due for a gigantic bag of ice and about ten bottles of Advil," I muttered sardonically.

Kane clotheslined Roman over the ropes and bashed his head into the canvas. Seth pressed a kiss to my forehead and quickly mumbled that he'd be right back, before diving towards Kane and struck the back of his knee, giving Roman the chance to spear him straight through the barricade.

Seth helped Roman up as I wobbled over to them. Seth yelled for us to start stacking any debris that we could on Kane. Barricade pieces, steel chairs, and part of the announcers table were stacked on top of Kane, and by the time we were through, he was buried underneath all the rubble.

"That should hold him," I said with a smirk, dusting off my hands.

"We got this shit," Seth said assuredly, wrapping his arms around Roman's neck and patting him back of his neck.

The audience burst into cheers again and I heard Dean yelling in pain. The three of us turned around to see that Daniel had Dean trapped in the Yes Lock.

"Not on my watch," Roman snarled before him and Seth made a beeline for Daniel, but Daniel saw them coming and let go of Dean before stealthily applying the hold on Seth. Roman beat Daniel down for a few seconds until Daniel grabbed his arm and put him in the Yes Lock as well.

Vaulting over the ropes, I dropped to my knees and Dean and I simultaneously landed blows and kicks to Daniel's back to break the hold. Sighing aggravatingly, I lugged Daniel up and positioned my shoulder under his jaw before falling to my knees and enacting a shoulder jawbreaker.

As soon as he was down, Seth and Dean started punching and kicking the shit out of him until Seth ordered Dean to stop. Seth picked up one of the chairs lying about, opened it, and placed it in the middle of the ring. Latching Daniel's arms around their shoulders, they hoisted him up in attempt to superplex him onto the chair, but Daniel fought them off.

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Daniel shouted, punctuating his chant with a series of kicks to us, the crowd eagerly chanting along with him.

Backing up, he bounced off the ropes and Dean kneed him in the stomach, causing him to stumble forward. Once he was in range, Seth hit him with a curb stomp onto the chair. Dean grabbed Daniel's leg and went for the pin.

"One!"

"Two!"

Ryback –now having recovered from the triple powerbomb- dragged Dean out of the ring before stepping through the ropes. He swiftly took out Seth and kicked Roman's face into a chair and then… he fucking powerslammed me.

"WHY?!" I shouted through clenched teeth, holding my back.

"Who's the injustice now?!" Ryback jeered, picking Seth up and powerslamming him right next to me. He lifted him up again -this time above his head- and tossed him outside the ring onto Dean.

Laughing, he kicked another chair towards Roman and snatched him up by the hair. He positioned him in front of the chair, setting up for another powerslam.

Dean rushed to Roman's aid, rapidly punching and kneeing Ryback anywhere he could and then rebounded off the ropes. Ryback took him down with a spear and moved back to stand in front of the turnbuckles. Thoughtlessly, I ran at him, and was instantly given a clothesline.

My neck felt like it was about to explode. I'd taken clotheslines from Ryback before, but this by far hurt the most. Between him, Kane, and Daniel, I knew that he was gonna be the most difficult to take down, especially since he outmatched me in both size and strength.

Whipping my head to the side, I saw Dean get Shell Shocked by Ryback. Ryback desperately moved over Dean and hooked his leg up.

"One!"

"Two!"

Instantaneously, Seth and I pounced on him, screaming obscenities as we did so. Seth and Ryback exchanged blows, quickly moving their brawl to the outside of the ring. Cautiously, I rose to my feet and grabbed a chair. If I couldn't take Ryback down physically, I was gonna use something that would.

Apparently Seth had the same idea as well, mercilessly swinging the chair at Ryback. I followed suit, ferociously striking him across the back. Both shots took him down but -much to our dismay and shock- he got up. He charged at Roman, the two of them crashing through a series of ladders and chairs.

Before long, our brawl with Ryback ended up on the stage. More punches and kicks were thrown, along with a myriad of chairshots. By this point we'd had enough and we wanted to do whatever it took to end this.

Roman dragged one of the tables next to the barricade over to us and they laid him on it, individually jabbing him in the chest. I raised my right leg up and gratingly slammed it down onto Ryback's throat, effectively pinning him down and forcing a strained groan from him.

My torment was interrupted when Seth tapped me on the shoulder, prompting me to take my leg off Ryback's throat. He pointed to one of the ladders, and I wanted to praise him for coming up with an ingenious last resort.

"Take care of Goatboy, I've got this," he said breezily.

Not needing to be told twice, I nodded and made my way back to the ring where Daniel laid, still in palpable pain. My lips twisted into a sinister smile as I nonchalantly jumped on the apron and stepped under the ropes.

I slapped him across the face then grabbed the back of his head, ramming my knees into his gut in a front lungblower. The adrenaline in my veins kicked into overdrive as I threw myself upwards with a kip up. I then pulled him up and confined him in a cobra clutch, hoisted him up by the neck, and leapt backwards, executing a cobra clutch slam as my ass harshly hit the mat while Daniel landed back first.

A loud crash caused me to tear my attention away from Daniel, and I damn near had a heart attack when I saw the cause of it. A horrified scream tore through my throat at the sight of Seth lying in a somewhat battered heap on a bunch of broken tables. As much as I wanted to throttle Ryback for his actions, making sure Seth's spine wasn't broken was my main concern.

I threw a quick, "Handle Daniel!" over my shoulder as I sprinted past Roman and Dean like I was in a marathon. When I finally reached him, I fell to my knees, tears leaking down my cheeks as I frantically pushed the chunks of broken wood off him. His breathing was labored and his eyes were closed, and that's when panic rose in my chest. As sappy as it sounded, the thought of losing him was unfathomable.

"SETH!" I cried, sobs now wracking my body as I lightly cupped his face. "Seth, please wake up! Please, I need you! Seth, come on!"

"Valentina now checking on the condition of Seth," Cole said.

"Let's hope he's okay, or else Ryback's really gonna be in for it!" Jerry exclaimed.

Lowering my head, I sobbed into his chest, desperately begging him to wake up and stay with me and how I couldn't lose him. I was having a breakdown on live TV, in front of Brooklyn and anyone else watching at home, but I didn't care. I was just praying with all my might that he was gonna be okay.

"V-Vee," he croaked, his eyes fluttering open. "D-Did we win?"

"Oh my God!" I choked out, throwing my arms around him and burying my face in his shoulder. He winced and groaned, to which I immediately loosened my grip.

The bell tolled and Justin Roberts announced us as the winners, and Seth let out a low chuckle. He placed his finger under my chin, lifting it up so that I met his gaze.

"We did it, Vee," he whispered. "We won. Nothing can stop us now. We're untouchable."

"Damn right we are," I laughed lightly, wiping my tears and draping a supporting arm around him to help him up.

Dean and Roman hobbled over to us, leniently slung Seth's arms over their shoulders for support. Dean looked at Ryback –who was now giving us an icy glare, clearly pissed that him and his teammates lost- and yelled, "That's what happens!"

* * *

We limped backstage to the trainer's room. Getting medical attention was definitely a must after the match we'd just got out of. Luckily Dean, Roman, and I didn't have any severe injuries to report so the doctor told us rest and take some painkillers once the show was over. Seth, however, needed further evaluation so they kept him in the trainer's room for the time being while we waited outside.

"Are you alright, baby girl?" Roman asked, his voice laced with concern as he placed a hand on my shoulder.

I bit the inside of my cheek and sighed. "I will be. I haven't had a breakdown like that since… since Seth broke his jaw during a match back in 2009. H-He finished the match, b-but there was so much blood and it… it was just awful… It scared the shit out of me and stayed with me for months."

"While being put through a bunch of tables is painful, it's nothing compared to splitting your jaw open, Vee, but he still bounced back. Trust me, he's gonna pull through," he replied earnestly.

"I hope so," I mumbled.

"Does this mean you're finally gonna tell him?" Dean spoke up.

Before I could answer him, the door opened and the doctor came out. He let us know that Seth wasn't concussed and didn't have any broken bones (thank fuck) and like us he also needed to take it easy and take plenty of painkillers before Raw.

As much as we wanted to leave, we were required to stay for the rest of the pay-per-view. Nothing too surprising happened aside from AJ turning on Cena by pushing him off the ladder and letting Dolph pick up the victory. I didn't know whether to laugh at her or pity her for pursuing the same guy that called her a desperate, pathetic, sad, weak, pitiful cling-on a matter of weeks ago, but hey, it wasn't my burden to bear.

* * *

Walking into the parking garage, I rummaged through my purse and took out my keys before unlocking my Camaro, having picked it up a few hours prior to TLC. We put our suitcases in the trunk and Roman loaded Seth into the backseat before climbing in and sitting next to him, which meant Dean got shotgun. Wonderful.

"Nice ride, Monroe," he said, a mischievous chuckle leaving his lips.

"Don't even think about it, Ambrose," I shot back, clenching the steering wheel as I pulled out of the garage.

"Come on, pleeeeeaaaaasssseeee?"

"Let me make this perfectly clear, this car is my baby, and if you even think about taking it for a spin while I'm asleep I will rip your arms off and beat you with them, understand?"

"Whatever. Can I at least play some tunes for the time being?"

"…. Fine."

"Fuck yeah!" Dean leaned over and turned on the radio. Despite the fact that I was irritated with him at the moment, I couldn't help but grin at his song choice. For some reason, it just seemed to suit all of us.

 _Company, always on the run_

 _Destiny is the rising sun_

 _Oh, I was born 6-gun in my hand_

 _Behind the gun I'll make my final stand_

 _That's why they call me_

 _Bad company_

 _And I can't deny_

 _Bad company_

 _'Til the day I die_

 _Oh, 'til the day I die_

 _'Til the day I die_

Dean and I sang along as the song rolled on, with Seth occasionally telling us to shut up so he could get some sleep and Roman laughing at his annoyance and at Dean and I. Rather than staying in a hotel, I invited the boys to stay the night at my place since it was only ten minutes away from the arena.

"So this is how the Killer Queen lives," Dean said once they'd all entered my apartment. "Not bad. Not bad at all."

Grabbing some spare blankets from the hallway closet, I set them on the couch and turned to the boys. "Roman, Dean, you guys got the pull out couch, don't worry, it's pretty damn comfortable. And Seth, you're rooming with me. Bathroom's down the hall and I've got a smorgasbord of snacks and drinks in the pantry if you want a midnight snack or somethin'."

Dean raised his hand.

"Yeah, Dean?"

"Just letting you know I'm invoking that 'no fuckin'' rule again."

"You really are a dickhead, you know that?"

"I've been called worse, toots."

* * *

After I'd helped Roman and Dean set up the pull out couch it wasn't long before they crashed. Seth was in the bathroom so I went in my room to change. I pulled on a black and white button-front sleepshirt that came to my mid-thigh and my white Siberian husky slippers before slipping into bed and pulling the blankets over me.

The door opened and quietly closed before I felt Seth's arms around my waist. Turning over, I placed my hand on his cheek and smiled.

"How are you feeling?" he asked softly.

Tenderly stroking the stubble on his jaw, I blew out a sigh. "Tonight, I was so scared… I…I thought I lost you."

He reached over and tucked a piece of hair behind my ear. "You'll never lose me, Valentina. No matter what happens, I'll always be there for you."

He pulled me against him and my eyes fluttered shut as I snuggled into his warm, comforting embrace.

* * *

 _ **A/N: And this concludes chapter seven! Also, the second song used in this chapter is 'Bad Company' by Bad Company. I first heard it in my film class last semester and I couldn't help but think of The Shield when I did. So if you haven't heard it I definitely recommend checking it out.**_

 _ **References: The 'nutless monkey' insult is from the movie Tropic Thunder, which is one of the funniest movies I've seen.**_

 _ **Don't hesitate to review because I'm really excited to hear you guys' thoughts on the match, Valentina's breakdown, all the Monrollins moments, things you liked, didn't like, things you think I could improve on, ideas for the story, etc, etc.**_


	9. Resolutions

_**A/N:**_ _Alright, am I the only one who's mad as hell that Triple H won the title at the Royal Rumble? I really hope Roman kicks his ass and wins it back at Wrestlemania. Aside from that, I'm so excited that AJ Styles is now in WWE and that Sasha's returned! I'm really hoping there'll be triple threat match between her, Becky, and Charlotte at Wrestlemania for the title. *crosses fingers*_

 _ **lunaticprincess7085 –**_ _Thanks! With the two-toned hair, yeah, he definitely looks like Two Face XD_

 _ **Seth rollins babe –**_ _Thanks! :)_

 _ **Bajor10 –**_ _Thank you! And while I don't wanna spoil anything, let's just say that when that time comes… shit's gonna hit the fan._

 _ **wwetickler30 –**_ _Love your username by the way! Yeah, I definitely wanted to show everyone how deep their friendship is and all those memorable moments between them before they take that next step ;)_

 _ **MsConCon –**_ _Thanks, hun! Reading your reviews always makes my day :D I'm so happy you enjoyed the flashbacks, and trust me, there's more where those came from. Valentina certainly wasn't lying when she said she wanted to change the Divas division and AJ was the first one to feel her wrath. The reason why I was worried was because writing smut isn't my strong suit, but I just said, "to hell with it" because I had it in my head for a while now and I'm so relieved and ecstatic that it turned out a lot hotter than I thought it would. I also couldn't help but show Valentina's sassiness on social media too… even if it does land her in hot water sometimes. I knew that Valentina was gonna be far from calm when Ryback shoved Seth through those tables, especially since that's not the first time she's broken down because he got hurt. Trust me, I wouldn't dream of messing up Valentina's body for life, but at the same time, she's not afraid to take on the guys. Unless it's guys like Brock Lesnar or Big Show, then she'll be like, "Fuck this, I'm out!" XD I was fangirling myself when I wrote the ending. Then there's Valentina and Dean. He's like that annoying big brother you constantly have the urge to punt, or in Valentina's case, knock him into next week with a Sin City ;)_

 _ **Lill2350 –**_ _Thanks! I was definitely channeling Team Extreme when I wrote her involvement in it. And Seth getting pushed through tables = Valentina losing her shit. Heart breaking was definitely what I was going for because let's face it, there was no way in hell Valentina wasn't gonna freak out in that situation. That's good ol' Dean for ya. No filter and he loves driving Valentina up the wall XD I definitely have plans for Valentina and Seth when it comes to them finally admitting their feelings and believe me when I say it's going to happen very soon ;)_

* * *

 _ **Chapter Nine - Resolutions**_

* * *

" _ **On my own  
Pretending he's beside me  
**_

 _ **All alone  
I walk with him till morning  
**_

 _ **Without him  
I feel his arms around me  
**_

 _ **And when I lose my way I close my eyes  
And he has found me**_

 _ **In the rain the pavement shines like silver  
All the lights are misty in the river  
**_

 _ **In the darkness, the trees are full of starlight  
And all I see is him and me forever and forever**_

 _ **And I know it's only in my mind  
That I'm talking to myself and not to him  
**_

 _ **And although I know that he is blind  
Still I say, there's a way for us**_

 _ **I love him  
But when the night is over  
**_

 _ **He is gone  
The river's just a river  
**_

 _ **Without him  
The world around me changes  
**_

 _ **The trees are bare and everywhere  
The streets are full of strangers." On My Own by Samantha Barks**_

* * *

I woke up bright and early the following morning. Seth was still asleep –with his arms around my waist- so I quietly slipped out of his arms and out of bed. Tacitly shutting the door behind me as I exited the bedroom, I yawned and stretched my arms over my head as I ambled into the living room. Dean and Roman were also still asleep, and I couldn't say I blamed them. That match had taken a lot out of all of us. I knew they'd most likely be hungry when they woke up, not to mention I already had the hunger of a beast, so I decided to make us all breakfast. Considering the kitchen connected to the living room, I secretly hoped the boys were heavy sleepers.

Before long I was cooking up a storm. Scrambled eggs, bacon, and pancakes were currently being cooked on the stove and I'd already poured the waffle batter into my waffle maker. The bread sat atop the fridge and I was certain the boys probably wanted toast as well. So, standing on my tiptoes, I reached up to grab it, causing my shirt to ride up more than I expected it to.

"Nice view, Monroe. Great to know all those squat workouts have given you such fantastic results."

I yelped after hearing Dean's crude comment and promptly pulled my shirt down as I felt my cheeks grow hot. Then I turned around to see him and Roman sitting on the stools next to the counter, both grinning from ear to ear.

"For what it's worth, he's got a point, baby girl," Roman said with a chuckle.

I rolled my eyes and shut the burners off along with the waffle maker. "So much for surprising you guys. I wasn't sure how you guys liked your eggs so I just made scrambled ones. There's also toast, waffles, pancakes, bacon, and waffles. Help yourselves."

"Awww honey, you shouldn't have," Dean said cheekily, walking into the kitchen and giving me a hug, with Roman doing the same after Dean released me.

"What? No hug for me?" I turned to see Seth innocently pouting, and I'd be lying through my teeth if I said it wasn't the least bit adorable.

"Get in here then, Sethie," I said teasingly. He eagerly obliged and swooped me up in his arms, spinning me around as he hugged me, causing me to squeal in surprise.

"Seth! Put me down!" I said in between giggled. He laughed and set me down before walking into the kitchen.

While the boys ate, I sat down on the couch and logged on to Twitter, and I immediately regretted doing so. A photo of me breaking down and cupping Seth's face had been uploaded and fans were going crazy over it.

 _My Monrollins feels are through the roof right now! #TLC_

 _Seth deserved it #TLC #ThankYouRyback_

 _She's so in love with him #TLC_

 _Valentina better back off! He's mine! #TLC_

 _Cutest WWE couple ever! #TLC #MonrollinsForever_

Shaking my head, I promptly hit the 'log off' button before grabbing myself a plate and joining the boys for breakfast. Then I showered and threw on a gray off shoulder top that read _Raw Is War_ , black skinny jeans with a distressed foil finish on them, a black jacket, a pendant that read _Rated R Superstar_ , and black suede knee high platform boots. Once the guys were showered and dressed, we tossed our bags in my car and took off.

* * *

 _ **Raw**_

 _ **December 17th, 2012**_

 _ **Philadelphia, Pennsylvania**_

 _ **Wells Fargo Center**_

As usual, we made sure to arrive early so we had enough time to get ready and come up with a post-TLC plan. Once inside, I made my way to hair and makeup. After an hour went by my hair had been styled in voluminous curls and my makeup was a black and silver and smokey eye while a dark mauve lipstick had been applied to my lips.

Entering the Divas locker room, I pulled open the _Valentina_ labeled drawer section of the trunk and took out the bag labeled _Raw_. Inside the bag was a black cutout crop top with sheer sleeves, black PVC hotpants with three buckles on both sides, black fishnets, black combat boots, black leather fingerless gloves, and a black velvet choker with a hanging heart charm embellished with crystals in the center.

When the show started, we sat back in the locker room and kept a sharp eye on the monitor. Just because tonight was the Slammy Awards –and we weren't nominated nor were we scheduled to compete- didn't mean we didn't intend on making an appearance.

"Think Punk will win?" I asked as Ric Flair announced the nominees for Superstar of the Year.

"He should," Dean replied, crossing his arms. "If he does and someone tries to fuck it up there's gonna be hell to pay."

"Hey, speaking of winning, we should go out and celebrate our TLC after the show, seeing as we were all too sore to do so last night," I suggested.

"Sounds good to me," Roman agreed before looking at Dean. "Know any good clubs in Philly, bro?"

" _Rumor_ ," Dean replied. "Best club in town. In my CZW days, that was the spot my buddies and I loved to get shitfaced at."

"In other words, it's full of horndogs like you and sluts," I retorted.

"Again, I resent that!" Dean riposted. "Besides Monroe, you've been pretty tense lately, and you're probably sexually frustrated too. When's the last time you got laid, six months ago? A year?"

"Try three years," I mumbled, a blush creeping across my cheeks.

"WHAT?!" Dean shouted, before bursting into a fit of laughter. "Three fucking years?! How the fuck have you not gone crazy by now?! Unless you really are saving yourself for a certain someone…" He nodded his head towards Seth.

"There's this thing called a vibrator, maybe you've heard of it, Deano!" I snapped, before quickly covering my mouth. Wonderful. I just gave him another thing to tease me about.

"I certainly have, and maybe one day Sethie will be lucky enough to use it on you," Dean smirked.

"Shut the fuck up, Ambrose!" Seth yelled, his cheeks turning beet red. Roman cleared his throat and quickly pointed to the monitor. John Cena had been announced Superstar of the Year –which caused us all to scream out in rage and kick some chairs over- but thankfully he kept his acceptance speech short and sweet and wound up giving his award to Ric out of respect.

"What a fucking saint," Dean muttered sarcastically.

"More like kiss ass," I snorted.

Punk's theme suddenly hit and he hobbled out on crutches while Heyman followed him and held the title above his head.

"This is completely ridiculous on multiple, multiple levels!" he ranted. "I mean, there's so many things going through my head right now." He picked up the Slammy and glared at Ric. "This doesn't belong to you! You haven't even been here in the past calendar year, and the fact that anybody even voted for John Cena to be Superstar of the Year is absolutely atrocious! This is possibly the worst year of John Cena's life! He got beat by a guy that I'm gonna decimate at the Royal Rumble! _I_ beat him at SummerSlam! He lost last night! He's the first Superstar to cash in his Money In The Bank contract and _lose_! He's a loser like everybody in Philadelphia!" He poked Ric's shoulder. "And he's a loser like you! You know, I used to sit in the locker room and listen to Shawn Michaels talk how all he ever wanted to do was grow up and be Ric Flair! Look at me, Flair! I never wanted to be you! I never wanted to be anybody but me, and I did it!"

I was beyond annoyed at Punk's tirade and clamped my hands over my ears to block out his whining. Yeah, you lost. Boo fucking who for you. You're still the champ, so get the fuck over it.

When Punk was finally done ranting, Ric smiled at him and looked down at his watch. "Did you wanna know what time it is? The diamonds on this Rolex make it kinda blocky for me," he quipped.

"It's clobbering time!" Punk spat. "That's what time it is!"

"I don't think so, "Rick shook his head. "I think it's time for you to go, brother. This is Philadelphia, we're gonna rock and roll, man."

At this, the crowd started cheering and the boys cracked their knuckles.

"Don't do it, old man," Dean warned.

"We're not seriously considering attacking him are we?!" I exclaimed. I liked and respected Ric Flair and I honestly didn't want to attack him. Not to mention Punk was really getting on my nerves and I was in no mood to defend his honor.

"If he goes after Punk, then yeah, we are, baby girl," Roman said.

"Right," Seth agreed, before patting my shoulder. "Look, I know you respect him and all, but it's gotta be done, sweetheart. Attacking the champ is an injustice."

Blowing out a sigh, I reluctantly nodded my head in response and looked at the monitor. Despite his knee injury, Punk still challenged Ric to a match and now they were both in the ring and Heyman was in Punk's corner.

Punk wobbled towards Ric and jabbed him in the stomach with his crutch before he struck him over the back with it. Then he taunted Ric by doing a limping Flair strut. He picked up his other crutch and limped towards Ric again, but Ric poked him in the eye and knocked him down. Then he grabbed Heyman and locked him in the Figure Four.

"Go, go, go!" Seth commanded, holding the door open for us.

I ignored the guilt that flooded my body as I followed them down the corridor. Dean yelled for the tech guy to play our music and Seth pushed the door open.

* * *

Ten minutes later we were all in an all-out brawl with Ric and Team Hell No. Seth and I were taking on Daniel, Dean was taking on Ric, and Roman was taking on Kane. Daniel clotheslined us over the barricade, with me landing on top of Seth. Groaning, I rolled off him and he abruptly got up. He helped me up, hopped over the barricade again, and started brawling with Daniel alongside Dean. Rubbing by back, I stepped over the barricade and began pummeling Daniel. Dean -seeing that Seth and I had this under control- turned on his heel and drove Kane into the canvas before he and Roman started stomping him.

I coiled my arm around Daniel's neck and executed Femme Fatale and he dropped to the floor with a thud. Seth suddenly turned around and ran towards Dean, Kane, and Roman. The three of them chucked Kane into the barricade.

Seth and Dean climbed into the ring and circled Ric while Roman glared at Cole, JBL, and King. "THIS IS OUR TABLE NOW!" he roared.

"You heard him! Get the hell up!" I demanded, ripping the _Raw_ board off the table and tossing it aside.

"Okay, whatever you say!" Cole exclaimed, scrambling out of his chair. "Valentina and Roman telling us to get out of the way and I'm not arguing!"

"Get him up!" Roman ordered. Dean and Seth quickly obliged and hauled Ric up.

"BELIEVE IN THE SHIELD, PHILLY!" I screamed at the audience –and I was booed yet again- before turning to the boys. Seth and Dean draped Ric's arms over their shoulders and Roman knelt down to lift him up.

 _FEED. ME. MORE!_

"FUCK!" I shouted, not giving a damn that I just dropped the f-bomb on live TV. Ryback darted down the ramp and the boys dropped Ric. Wasting little time, Dean made a beeline for Ryback. Ryback lifted him up and tossed him into the barricade. Roman, Seth, and I countered by triple teaming him. With a growl, he effortlessly picked me up and threw me into the barricade next to Dean before turning his attention back to Seth and Roman.

"How ya holding up there, toots?" Dean rasped, rubbing the back of his neck.

"If I have no health problems whatsoever by the time I'm thirty, I'll be fucking surprised," I huffed.

"You're only twenty-three, darlin', I wouldn't worry about that right no- FUCK OFF, GOATFACE!" he snarled as Daniel came barreling towards us.

Still weak from Ryback tossing us like ragdolls, we tried to fight him off but our efforts went in vain and we were forced to retreat as he tossed us over the barricade. Kane and Ryback did the same with Roman and Seth.

* * *

"DAMMIT!" Dean shouted, kicking over another chair as we stormed backstage, a few stage hands fearfully getting out of our way.

"So much for teaching Nature Boy a fucking lesson," Roman growled.

"Wait," Seth put an arm out in front of us, stopping us in our tracks as Tommy Dreamer came out of his dressing room. He turned to us with a smirk. "We may not have been able to teach Flair a lesson, but that doesn't mean we should let him spoil our night. Why not send a message to him, Ryback, and Team Hell No?"

"I'd be glad to," Dean drawled, licking his lips. "HEY, DREAMER!"

Tommy turned around, only to get speared by Roman. Dean and Seth ran towards them and pounced on Tommy.

I knew Seth wanted this to be seen, so I looked around for a cameraman. Lucky for me, there was one standing nearby, frozen in shock as he watched the scene before him.

"Don't just stand there! Film this NOW!" I screeched. He gulped and shakily held the camera up before turning it on.

Roman pressed Tommy's face against the wall and let out a roar before seizing him by the back of his shirt and throwing him into a pile of equipment.

"This is The Shield's house, Tommy!" Seth shouted as we unleashed a melee of blows and kicks to him while he tried to shield his face.

"What are you guys doing?!" Get out of here!" Ricardo Rodriguez ran towards us. Seth and I got off Tommy and tackled him. We continued knocking the crap out of him and Tommy until the refs showed up and kicked us out of the building. We weren't pissed about it because we'd done all we could for the night. One thing was certain though: Ryback, Team Hell No, Ric Flair, the WWE Universe, and even Ricardo and Tommy, had gotten the message loud and clear.

* * *

As promised, we still planned on celebrating tonight and drove back to the hotel so we could shower and get ready.

I spent about fifteen minutes alone trying to decide on what to wear. I'd been to plenty of clubs in New York, but I'd never to one in Philadelphia so I had no idea what the dress code at Rumor was like, or the atmosphere. I conclusively relented and settled on a black leather jacket with spikes along the lapels, arms, and collar, silver sequin embellished pants, a white slim fitting t-shirt that read _The Pretty Reckless_ in black lettering with a pair of black criss-crossed platforms below the lettering, black leather Jeffrey Campbell Lita platform boots with black studs covering the heel, and a heart necklace adorned with ornamental designs and a key hole in the center. I teased and re-curled my hair and re-did my makeup. My eyes were sultry and smokey and I'd applied nude lip gloss to my lips. Next I took a selfie and posted it.

 _ **TheKillerQueenOfWWE: Off to celebrate last night's events! Just because tonight didn't go as planned doesn't mean we're gonna let it ruin our fun. Oh, and my "**_ _ **sincerest"**_ _ **regards to Tommy Dreamer. #SorryNotSorry #BelieveInTheShield**_

I stepped out of the bathroom and walked into the living room. The boys were ready and deiced to watch some TV while they waited for me. I cleared my throat at they all looked up at me. Seth's mouth dropped open, Dean licked his lips, and Roman nodded his head in approval.

"Well, what do you think?" I asked bashfully, doing a little twirl. "And be brutal."

"I'm think I wanna take you in that bedroom and show you instead," Dean drawled, before Roman sharply slapped him upside the head.

"Subtle, bro," he teased. "You look nice, baby girl." Seth was still speechless, so Roman playfully elbowed him in the ribs. "Say something, man, you're getting drool all over the carpet."

Seth cleared his throat and a tinge of pink covering his cheeks. "You look… incredible, sweetheart."

Placing my hands on my hips, I eyed him up and down. He wore a black blazer, one of his _A Day To Remember_ shirts, skinny jeans, and a black and white _Glamour Kills_ snapback.

"You clean up nice yourself, Mr. Rollins," I grinned. "And oddly we're both wearing shirts with our favorite bands on them."

"Guess great minds think alike," he said, offering me his arm. "Though I still think A Day To Remember is so much better."

"Don't push it, Rollins," I sassed back, looping my arm around his.

* * *

We arrived at _Rumor_ twenty minutes later, and yeah, Dean definitely downplayed his description of this place. I was expecting a dirty run-down club, but the ambience was very modern and upscale, with four bar areas total, two dance floors, a private VIP lounge and a cocktail lounge.

"This place is fucking insane!" I shouted over the booming music, excitement fluttering in my chest.

"Told ya!" Dean yelled back as he led us over to one of the bars and smirked at the barista. "Hey toots, I'll take three beers and a shot of tequila."

"Coming right up, handsome." She winked at Dean and went to fix our drinks.

"I take it that shot's for me?" I snorted as I took a seat one of the bar stools.

"Yup," Dean nodded. "You need to loosen up and have a little fun for once."

"Dean, we're not here to get hammered," Seth said sternly. "We still have to do Smackdown tomorrow."

"Relax, a little Alka-Seltzer and some sports drinks will take care of it," Dean said dismissively as the barista set our drinks down. "What could possibly go wrong?"

It didn't take long for Dean and Roman to find some girls to dance with. Then again, they were both very good looking so it didn't come as a total shock. Seth and I had found a table (a fucking miracle if you ask me because this place was really busy tonight) and were both chatting it up. Seth was still on his first beer whilst I was on my second shot. Being a lightweight, I was slightly tipsy, but nowhere near as wasted as Dean was. Seth then told me he had to use the bathroom and excused himself. Leaning back on the sofa, I took out my phone and got on Twitter for the time being, smirking once I saw that the fans were still praising my match with the boys at TLC and my Last Diva Standing match against AJ.

"Hey hottie, want some company?"

"Not interested," I said bluntly, not looking up.

He laughed and sat next to me, putting his hand on my knee and lightly seizing my chin so I was forced to look at him. He wasn't bad looking, he had short black hair, dark brown eyes, strong jawline and a lean, toned build, but his attitude screamed massive dickhead.

"So, sweet thing," he purred, leaning in closer, almost making me gag when I caught the strong stench of whiskey and vodka on his breath. "What do you say we get out of here and get to know each other a little better?"

"I said I'm not fucking interested, now fuck off!" I growled, placing my hand on his chest and shoving him away from me. To my annoyance and dismay, he didn't budge.

He tucked some hair behind my ear and hungrily kissed my throat while his hand wandered up my thigh. The last thing I wanted or needed was to cause a scene in public and damage my reputation, but I sure as hell wasn't about to allow this tool sexually harass me, so I slapped him across the face and dumped the remains of my tequila on him.

His eyes narrowed into slits and he shoved me back, pinning me to the couch with his body weight.

"You shouldn't have done that, sweetheart." I cringed when he called me that. When Seth called me sweetheart it was a term of endearment, at least, to me anyway, but when this guy used it, I wanted to knock his head off with a Sin City.

"We could've done this the easy way," he continued, trailing his index finger down my cheek. "We still can, I'd hate to have to hurt a pretty thing like you."

"Is there a fucking problem here?"

I turned my head to the side to see Dean and Roman standing there with their arms crossed and their jaws tense, both ready to rip this douche's head off. Dean had that maniacal look in his eyes, but it was far worse than what I'd seen in the ring. This look was the same one he wore when he was Jon Moxley.

"I believe the lady said no," Dean said darkly. "And we don't take kindly to little punks like you harassing women, especially when said woman is with us."

"L-Look I-I," he stuttered, his eyes widening in fear as he got off me and raised his hands in surrender. "I-I d-don't w-want a-any t-trouble."

"You should've fucking thought of that before you put your hands on her." Seth was standing right behind him. If looks could kill, this guy would've been lying in a blood coated, lifeless heap in the middle of the street.

"Now I suggest you get out of our sight right now," Roman sneered, roughly grabbing him by the scruff of his collar. "And if we catch you bothering her again you'll be eating through a straw for the rest of your life."

With widened eyes, he nodded his head in response and Roman dropped him. He ran out of the club and Seth helped me up, the three of them asking if I was okay and I thanked them and told them I was. They sat down and we all talked for another ten minutes before Dean and Roman went to go find the girls they'd been dancing to. Seth and I ordered more drinks and went back to chatting. Then my eyes lingered on the dancefloor, and I guess that tequila came with a confidence boost because before I knew it I turned to Seth with a flirty smile and whispered, "Wanna dance?" in his ear.

"I'm not a very good dancer," he admitted shyly, shaking his head.

"You're not alone on that," I chortled, standing up and holding out my hand as "I Get Off" by Halestorm came on. "Come on, it's not like we're fucking auditioning for the next _Step Up_ movie."

"... Okay."

" _You don't know that I know_

 _You watch me every night_

 _And I just can't resist the urge_

 _To stand here in the light_

 _Your greedy eyes upon me_

 _And then I come undone_

 _I could close the curtain_

 _But this is too much fun._

 _I get off on you_

 _Getting off on me_

 _Give you what you want_

 _But nothing is for free."_

As the chorus kicked in, I turned around so I was flush against his chest. My hips swayed to the music and I placed his hands on them, giggling softly when he held them in a firm grip.

" _There's so much left unspoken_

 _Between the two of us_

 _It's so much more exciting_

 _To look when you can't touch_

 _You could say I'm different_

 _Maybe I'm a freak_

 _But I know how to twist you_

 _To bring you to your knees."_

My ass was against his crotch and he was alluringly gyrating against me. He still kept his hands on my hips, but I moved them up so they were resting underneath my breasts. Even with the music on full blast I could've sworn I heard his breath hitch. However, he wasn't complaining either, that was a given when he didn't lower his hands.

He swept my hair aside and pressed his lips against the shell of my ear. "Naughty girl."

"Only when I'm around you," I replied seductively, arching into him as the tequila began to manipulate my actions. I was gonna regret this in the morning, and yet, I couldn't ignore the surge of emotions that coursed through my body. I wanted him to kiss me, touch me, taste me, make me scream his name until I blacked out from unadulterated ecstasy...

We continued to dance until the song came to an end, and that's when everything went downhill. Another hour went by and during that time I'd gotten more and shots of tequila in my system, and as a result, I was even more plastered than Dean was. Roman and Seth were the most sober and had dragged us out of the club, with Roman dragging Dean and Dean yelling in protest because, "he was about to get lucky with that blonde with the big tits" and me over Seth's shoulder.

* * *

"I'm gonna get you one of my shirts to sleep in," Seth said, gently setting me down on the bed. "I'll be right back, stay put," he ordered firmly, and left the room.

In my inebriated state I still found myself wanting him, and the amount tequila I'd downed in the past hour only added more fuel to that fire. Seth had already taken my heels off for me, which meant all I had to do was get out of my shirt and pants before he got back, and I had to be quick.

Drunkenly, I shimmied out of my pants –and almost stumbled over and hit my head on the bedside table in the process- before grabbing the hem of my shirt and pulling it over my head, leaving me in my leopard print push-up bra with lace detailing and matching panties. Climbing onto the bed, I laid on my side and got in the sexiest pose I could muster.

The door opened and Seth walked in, his eyes nearly popped out of their sockets as he took in the sight of my half-naked form. Giggling, I bit my lip and raised my index finger, beckoning him to me.

"Arms above your head," he said, clearing his throat and stalking over to me. Pouting, I sat up and did as he asked, but once he was in reach, I wrapped my arms around his neck and ravished his jaw and neck with kisses.

He let out a throaty groan, but pulled away and shook his head. "Valentina stop. You're drunk, you don't know what you're doing or saying."

"No I'm not," I slurred/argued, shaking my head. "I want you so bad..." I pressed another kiss to his stubbled jaw and then his cheek. "I've wanted you for years, ever since I met you…" A kiss to the side of his mouth. "Touch me, kiss me, take me…"

He took my face in his hands and rested his forehead against mine. "No. You're drunk and I'm not gonna take advantage of you. Maybe if you weren't-"

"Don't, I-I get it," I cut him off, my voice cracking. "J-Just f-forget i-it."

"Valentina…."

"Put the shirt on me."

"Do you want me to leave afterwards? Because I can go sleep on the couch-"

"N-No. Just lay with me, p-please."

"As you wish, sweetheart."

* * *

I woke up that morning feeling like utter shit. The first thing I did was vomit like my life depended on it for nearly an hour in the bathroom. By noon, I felt somewhat better thanks to Dean's Alka-Seltzer/sport drink remedy. Last night was all a blur, and I was prepared to leave it at that, until Dean pulled me aside and told me what I'd done before passing out. He reassured me that Seth wasn't mad at me for it, which I was glad to hear.

Prior to leaving the hotel, Dean and Roman decided to give me my Christmas presents early since Smackdown was our last appearance before Christmas. Roman had gotten me a Poison Ivy themed duvet with two matching throw pillows and Dean got me three Pretty Reckless posters. My instant reaction to both gifts was to scream and tackle-hug both of them onto the couch.

Seth told me he had something special for me and wanted to wait until after the show to give it to me. I was disappointed at first, but that changed to eagerness when he assured me it'd be worth the wait. My gifts to the boys were custom made silver bracelets with _Believe In The Shield_ engraved on them. They were thrilled when they saw them and enveloped me in a hug.

* * *

 _ **Super Smackdown Live**_

 _ **December 18th, 2012**_

 _ **Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania**_

 _ **Consol Energy Center**_

Seth and I hid behind the corner as Rey Mysterio made his way down the corridor. He was supposed to be accompanying Sin Cara to his match against Damien Sandow tonight, but we weren't about to let that happen.

"Work your magic, Vee," Seth mumbled in my ear, once Mysterio was in range.

"With pleasure," I said deviously, before putting my hands over my mouth and obnoxiously yelling, "HEY, YOU!" after Mysterio. He turned around and looked at me, his head cocking to the side in confusion as I waved at him.

On cue, Roman and Dean tackled him from behind and began pummeling him with punches and kicks.

"Get him up!" I commanded. Roman and Dean grabbed his arms and hoisted him up before I struck him with a Sin City. He toppled over, unconscious.

Seth threw his head back and laughed before placing his foot on the side of Mysterio's stomach, flipping him over on his back. He kneeled down and unlaced his mask before holding it up. He handed the mask to Roman –who put it in his pocket- and Dean kicked Mysterio one last time before we turned around and headed towards the ring.

We split up in pairs again as we stalked down the steps. Seth followed Dean and I followed Roman. Roman lifted me over the barricade before vaulting over himself. Sin Cara turned to us and Roman took Mysterio's mask out of his pocket and tossed it in the ring.

Sandow took advantage of this and turned Sin Cara around and hit him with a neckbreaker. He dropped to the mat and got the win. We waited for Sandow to leave the ring, and then we stepped through the ropes slowly advanced on Sin Cara.

Fists and kicks were thrown at Sin Cara before Roman yelled for Seth and Dean to hold him up. Roman roared in Sin Cara's face before he mercilessly headbutt him. He doubled over and Dean grabbed his ankle. He struggled against us as Dean pinned his arms down while Roman and I did the same with both of his legs. Roman held Sin Cara's right leg up as Seth climbed to the top turnbuckle and jumped off, taking out his knee with his foot.

He writhed on the mat and clutched his knee and we stood over him. The crowd giving us a mix of boos and cheers as we relished our moment of triumph.

Brodus Clay faced the same fate later that night because Brad Maddox was still trying to get a contract and unsuccessfully challenged him. The boys thought it was an injustice that yet another Superstar "took advantage of a poor, defenseless Brad Maddox" and made sure Brodus didn't get away with it. They triple powerbombed him for his actions.

* * *

I stood outside the boys' locker room and waited for them, now having showered and changed my clothes. Seth was the first to emerge and hand one hand behind his back.

"Roman and Dean almost ready?" I asked.

"Almost, Dean's already ready, he just stepped out for a smoke," he replied, inclining his arm forward to reveal what he'd been hiding behind his back: a black velvet box. "I said I'd give it to you after the show and I'm a man of my word."

"What is it?" I asked teasingly, taking the box from his hands.

"Open it and you'll find out, sweetheart."

Gingerly, I opened the box and a small gasp left my lips. Inside was a pair of white gold sapphire teardrop earrings with three small diamonds above each sapphire. They were stunning.

"S-Seth," I sputtered, swallowing a lump in my throat. "These are gorgeous… I couldn't possibly-"

"Don't say that, Valentina," he said softly, taking my hand and pulling me towards him. "I wanted to get you something almost as beautiful as you, and when I saw these I knew you'd love them."

"They really are beautiful," I admitted quietly, and then something caught my eye behind Seth. My cheeks flushed when I saw the mistletoe hanging there. Seth noticed my reaction and looked up also.

A chuckle left his lips and he placed both index fingers on his cheeks. "Wanna put one on the cheek?" he asked playfully.

Swallowing thickly, I slowly shook my head and bit my lip. He took another step towards me and cupped my cheek, his thumb brushing across my bottom lip. His enticing brown eyes gazed into mine and he leaned in to close the gap between our lips.

"PUCKER UP, MONROE!" I was suddenly yanked away from Seth, dipped, and forcibly kissed by none other than Dean Ambrose. Naturally, my first reaction was to scream and thrash against him, but he used that to his advantage and slipped his tongue inside my mouth.

A loud crack filled the hallway as my hand connected with Dean's cheek. He dropped me and rubbed his cheek and I could hear Seth yelling at him, but I was too busy flipping out to comprehend what he was saying.

"Oh my God, I need to get tested! I need to take a chemical bath! I fucking hate you, Dean Ambrose!" I wailed, furiously wiping my lips. "Gah, my beautiful lips! You fucking deflowered my beautiful lips! I fucking hope you get coal this year!"

"Mmm, so soft and sweet," Dean said lewdly, his tongue darting out to lick his lips. "Doesn't matter if I get coal, Monroe, because that kiss just made my year."

* * *

I cooled off in the locker room for a good twenty minutes. Seth basically dragged me away from Dean as I screamed a slew of heinous threats at him, sat me down in the locker room, and told me to take a breather and that he'd deal with Dean. It was probably for the best because I would've throttled Dean if he hadn't.

I walked into the parking garage and spotted Dean leaning up against my car rolling his eyes and nodding his head as Seth and Roman lectured him. With a heavy sigh, I unzipped my bag and looked for my water bottle, but as my hand came in contact with the velvet box, I couldn't stop myself from taking out and opening it. My fingertips lightly touched the stones and I looked over at Seth again, another sigh leaving my lips.

With 2013 right around the corner, I already had two resolutions in mind. The first being that I finally grew a pair and tell Seth how I felt about him. The second was winning the Divas Championship.

And yet, an obstacle still stood in the way of my first resolution: fear. The fear of him rejecting me. Yes we'd almost kissed twice, we'd put on a rather intimate show at the club, and I'd tried to sleep with him while I was drunk and he didn't torment me for it, but despite all those things, I still felt that our relationship was platonic, and that's what scared me the most. If I told him how I really felt, there was the possibility that he'd dismiss it and tell me I'd never be more than his best friend/little sister. Things would never be the same between us.

Two tears fell from my eyes as the thought of him not feeling the same way racked my brain, and both landed on the box. Wiping my eyes, I looked over at Seth again. He was still talking to Dean so he wouldn't know what I was about to say.

"I love you…" I whispered sorrowfully.

 _And I truly did, with all my heart._

* * *

 _ **A/N: So yeah, listening to 'On My Own' on repeat and trying not to cry as I wrote that last part was easier said than done. Valentina finally admitted to herself how she feels about Seth, now if only she could just tell him XD Oh, and I've made sets of the boys' gifts for Valentina and her outfits for this chapter on my Polyvore account, so if you guys are interested in seeing**_ _ **them, hop on over to my profile.**_

 _ **And I just heard the news about Daniel Bryan, and I'm honestly devastated that he's retiring. He was such an incredible performer and I love that he wasn't afraid to break the mold. #ThankYouDaniel**_

 _ **On a happier note, I'm seeing Smackdown next week and I'm super ecstatic about it! XD Thanks again for reading and please review!**_


	10. A Trip Down Memory Lane (edited)

_**A/N:**_ _Salutations all! Smackdown was amazing! Got a Roman Reigns shirt and an AJ Styles shirt. Though I did lose my mind when there was tension between Roman and Dean, and when Brock Lesnar came out and took my baes to Suplex City! On that note, I had a great time! XD Also, I wanted to let you guys know that I've had a horrible case of writer's block, which is why it took a lot longer for me to get this chapter out, so I apologize if it's not the best._

 _Oh, and one last thing, I decided to re-upload this chapter because I finally managed to find the video of Jimmy turning on Seth and decided to edit that part of the flashback._

 _ **wwetickler30 –**_ _I know, right?! I just wanna scream, "Wise up and tell him already, woman!" XD The thing about Valentina is that she's been in love with him for so long and she doesn't want to risk ruining their friendship if she tells him, even though it's quite obvious she's not the only one with these feelings._

 _ **abitoflightreading –**_ _Hahaha I don't blame you one bit. Dean and Valentina certainly have a very… interesting relationship, to say the least. I'm also glad you liked the club scene. When it comes to Valentina, the boys will always have her back no matter what. And damn, ya caught me *evil smile* You can definitely expect a Zahra Schreiber appearance in the future, and let's just say it won't be a pleasant one._

 _ **Lill2350 –**_ _Thank you! And leave it to Dean to ruin a romantic moment (for the billionth time) and push Valentina's buttons for the billionth time. Originally, I just intended for Seth and Valentina to share a rather intimate dance during the club scene, but after I slept on it and I decided to throw in some drama as well. Plus, it shows how protective the guys are over Valentina. They're like the big brothers she's always wanted (well, aside from Seth of course XD). And I'm sorry to hear that, hopefully they'll come next year._

 _ **Seth rollins babe –**_ _Thanks! :D_

* * *

 _ **Chapter Ten – A Trip Down Memory Lane**_

* * *

" _ **There I was again tonight**_

 _ **Forcing laughter, faking smiles**_

 _ **Same old tired lonely place**_

 _ **Walls of insincerity,**_

 _ **Shifting eyes and vacancy**_

 _ **Vanished when I saw your face**_

 _ **All I can say is it was enchanting to meet you**_

 _ **Your eyes whispered, "Have we met?"**_

 _ **Across the room your silhouette**_

 _ **Starts to make its way to me**_

 _ **The playful conversation starts**_

 _ **Counter all your quick remarks**_

 _ **Like passing notes in secrecy**_

 _ **And it was enchanting to meet you**_

 _ **All I can say is I was enchanted to meet you**_

 _ **This night is sparkling, don't you let it go**_

 _ **I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home**_

 _ **I'll spend forever wondering if you knew**_

 _ **I was enchanted to meet you**_

 _ **The lingering question kept me up**_

 _ **2 AM, who do you love?**_

 _ **I wonder 'til I'm wide awake**_

 _ **And now I'm pacing back and forth**_

 _ **Wishing you were at my door**_

 _ **I'd open up and you would say, "Hey,**_

 _ **It was enchanting to meet you,**_

 _ **All I know is I was enchanted to meet you."**_

 _ **This night is sparkling, don't you let it go**_

 _ **I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home**_

 _ **I'll spend forever wondering if you knew**_

 _ **This night is flawless, don't you let it go**_

 _ **I'm wonderstruck, dancing around all alone**_

 _ **I'll spend forever wondering if you knew**_

 _ **I was enchanted to meet you." Enchanted by Taylor Swift**_

* * *

 _ **2008**_

* * *

 _Anxiously combing my fingers through my curly teased hair, I sucked in a breath and bit my lip. Tonight was Final Battle; ROH's last pay-per-view of the year as well as its biggest. After signing my contract with the company back in October, I'd had made my debut at the following pay-per-view, Rising Above, against Daizee Haze, to which I came out victorious. My opponent for tonight was Sara Del Rey, the one woman on the roster who I hadn't faced yet. Sara was the strongest woman on the roster. At Driven, she defeated Jessie McKay in 40 seconds in what was basically a squash match. But, after dropping the Shimmer Championship to MsChif at Rising Above, she was beyond furious. Now, almost a month later, she was still pissed about it and I didn't doubt for a second that she was gonna take that anger out on me._

 _This match wasn't gonna piece of cake, not with Sara being taller than me and twice my size. I knew who she was and what she was capable of, but I wasn't about to go to management and tell then to call off the match. I'd been given a golden opportunity. This was my chance to show everyone in that locker room (as well as all the fans and any haters) why I belonged here. Being only nineteen, most of them thought I was nothing more than "a pretty face that sucked off the right people to earn her spot."_

 _I scowled as that comment replayed in my head. Most of the girls here didn't like me and the feeling was mutual. I got on with a couple of them, but that was about it._

 _I gingerly trailed my fingers over my attire one last time, making sure it looked decent and that I wouldn't endure a wardrobe malfunction. I wore a rhinestone black push-up bra with a purple lace bralette layering it, black boyshorts that read_ _Bad Girl_ _across the back in purple glitter lettering, black lycra chaps with a studded belt attached, over the knee combat boots, and black lace fingerless gloves._

" _Excuse me, Valentina?" I turned my head to see one of the stage hands looking at me. "You're on in six."_

 _Cracking my neck from side to side, I turned around and followed her down the corridor. Once we were at the gorilla she wished me good luck and went on her way. I took another deep breath as I stared at the curtain, my nerves kicking into overdrive as I heard the chorus of cheers and boos that came from the other side._

" _Stunning ink. I don't think I've ever met a girl with as many gorgeous tattoos as you," a raspy voice murmured in my ear._

" _I think you'll find I'm not like most girls," I replied, pivoting around. Standing before me was Tyler Black. He was notorious for being part of the most dominant stable in ROH: The Age Of The Fall. I'd seen him around a few times during my time here, but this was the first time we'd crossed paths. I could say I didn't find him immensely attractive, with his long dark hair, alluring warm brown eyes, and sculpted, tanned body, but then I'd be lying through my teeth._

" _Is that so?" he inquired, a grin tugging at his lips as he offered me his hand. "As you know, around here I'm known as Tyler Black, but my real name's Seth. Seth Rollins."_

" _Valentina Monroe," I said, taking his hand and shaking it. "Get used to that name, puddin', cause' you're gonna be hearing it an awful lot around here."_

" _I'm counting on it," he chuckled. "Puddin', eh? I take it you're a DC fan?"_

" _You bet your ass I am!" I said excitedly. "Although as much as I love Harley Quinn, my favorite DC villainess is Poison Ivy."_

" _I'll keep that in mind, Miss Isley," he said teasingly. "So, what are you doing after the show? Maybe you and I could go get a drink? Maybe get to know each other more?"_

" _That sounds-"_

" _Hey! There you are, man! I've been looking everywhere for you!"_

 _A man with black spiky hair with an orange streak in it came jogging towards Seth. It was his stable mate –and from what I'd heard, his best friend as well- Jimmy Jacobs._

 _Seth rolled his eyes. "The building's not the size of the Grand Canyon, Jimmy, so I'm sure you couldn't have looked that hard."_

" _Just wanted come up with a game plan for your number one contender match against Aries, dude! I know how bad you want to win it." Then he turned his head to look at me, and a lascivious smile crept onto his face. "Valentina Monroe, right? I don't think we've officially met, I'm Jimmy Jacobs."_

" _So I've heard" I quipped, fighting the temptation the roll my eyes as I held out my hand. "Pleasure."_

 _He gently took my hand and planted a kiss on it. "Oh it can be, if you play your cards right."_

" _JIMMY!" Seth snapped, elbowing him in the ribs. "My apologies, Valentina. Jimmy has a tendency to be very…. outspoken."_

" _I can see that," I snickered, before tilting my head to the side and placing my hand on his chest. "And what about you? What makes you tick, Seth Rollins?"_

 _He opened his mouth to speak, but his voice was drowned out by the sound of my theme going off._

 ** _"Wake me up inside_**

 ** _(I can't wake up)_**

 ** _Wake me up inside_**

 ** _(Save me)_**

 ** _Call my name and save me from the dark."_**

" _Give em' hell," he smirked, folding his arms._

" _I plan to."_

 _Eight minutes later I stumbled backstage holding my back and fighting to catch my breath. During the first half of the match, Sara powerbombed me, suplexed me, kicked the shit out of me, and spiked me with her finisher, the Royal Butterfly. When I kicked out at two and pushed myself up, she ran towards me, but inadvertently dove through the ropes when I moved out of the way. From there, I fought back with what little energy I had left and picked up the win with a bicycle kick, which was also my finisher that I named Sin City._

 _After getting looked at by a few doctors and being told to get plenty rest when I got home and load up on painkillers, I staggered into the locker room, flipped on the TV, and slumped down onto the bench. Seth's match was up next and I hadn't got a chance to wish him good luck, but I knew he was bound to win it regardless._

 _Fifteen minutes went by, and I when I wasn't frenziedly digging my nails into the bench, I was furiously dragging them through my hair, and I probably looked like a cavewoman for doing so. I couldn't help it though. Seth and Austin flat-out hated each other. Their rivalry had dated all the way back to July, when Austin and his partner,_ _Jay Briscoe, had defeated Seth and Jimmy to with the Tag Team Championships. From there, it was basically Team Aires vs. The Age Of The Fall for months on end. The only thing Seth and Austin had in common was that they were both gunning for the ROH title._

 _Seth climbed to the top rope and was ready to hit a phoenix splash on Austin when_ _Jimmy suddenly ran down the ramp. My brows furrowed in confusion as he started yelling for Seth not to do it. Seth ignored him and leapt off the turnbuckle, but Austin rolled out of the way._

 _As Seth agonizingly tried to get up, Aries countered with a kick to the head followed by a brainbuster. Then he hit the 450 splash and hooked Seth's leg for the three count._

 _I wanted to scream. I wanted to kick the TV over. I wanted to storm out there and nail Jimmy with a Sin City for costing Seth the match. I wanted to-_

 _The sound of Seth and Jimmy arguing forced me to put my mental rant on pause. Jimmy kept screaming that Seth was supposed to be "the chosen one" and roughly shoved him. Seth shoved him back, hard enough to knock him over._

 _Oh shit…._

 _Jimmy held his hands up in defense. "Don't give them the satisfaction! Stop, stop, stop! Don't give them the satisfaction! Remember last year? We were the tag team champions! Right here, last year, were the tag team champions, alright?" Jimmy tried to reason with him as he clambered to his feet._ _They had a heated stare-down for a good minute and then Jimmy held out his hand. Seth stared at it and blew out a sigh, before muttering an apology as well and shook his hand._

 _Then the unexpected happened…._

" _FUCKING TRAITOR!" I screamed as Jimmy hit Seth with a low-blow. All I could do was watch on in horror and disgust as Jimmy glared down at Seth and started screaming about how this was all Seth's fault and that he'd screwed him sprung to my eyes as he mercilessly locked Seth in a guillotine choke (aka his finisher, End Time). I was helplessly screaming for Jimmy to stop, but even if he heard me I doubt he would've._

 _And he didn't._

 _He rolled out of the ring, grabbing a steel chair and sliding it inside the ring. He positioned Seth's head in-between it and climbed to the top rope._

 _I couldn't take it anymore. I wasn't about to sit back and watch Jimmy put Seth in the ICU. Even though I just met Seth, I thought he was a sweetheart and I liked him a lot. He didn't deserve this._

 _By the time I'd pushed the curtain aside and sprinted down the ramp the damage had already been done. Austin was in the ring again and bashed Seth in the head with a steel chair and then he and Jimmy started punching him the head. All shots were enough to split Seth's head open. Blood trickled down his face as Jimmy reached into his pants and took out a towel - the same towel Seth didn't throw in for him at the Rising Above pay-per-view - and threw it on his head._

 _I rolled into the ring and sank to my knees in front of Seth's barely conscious form. I brushed some of his hair out of his face and shot Jimmy and Austin a glare as they hopped out of the ring and jeeringly waved at me before Jimmy blew me a kiss. Were they really fucking teaming up now?! After all the shit Austin put him through?!_

 _I didn't know what the fuck had gotten into Jimmy or why he stabbed Seth in the back and formed an alliance with the biggest dickhead in the company, but that was something I'd get the answers to later on. Right now all I wanted was to get Seth some much needed medical attention before he passed out from blood loss._

 _Wrapping his arm around my shoulders, I gingerly helped him stand up. He didn't say a word the entire time as we walked up the ramp, but his face said it all. He looked so distraught, practically on the verge of tears, and my heart sank at the sight._

 _A handful of referees gathered around him when we were backstage and took him into the medical room. Since he more than likely needed staples in his head and wouldn't be out for a while, I headed back to the locker room for a shower. When that was done, I threw some clothes on and set my duffle bag down on the bench. Unzipping it, I scoured through it until I found a small notebook and a pen._

 _I'll be brutally honest here. I hardly ever invited guys back to my apartment unless I was really good friends with them and wanted to have a casual get together. But given tonight's circumstances, I was about to break that rule. Drawing in a breath, I opened the notebook, clicked the pen open, and scribbled my address down before tearing it out and folding it up._

" _Seth! Seth, wait up!" I said, jogging up to him._

 _He turned around and sighed. "I don't want to talk about it, Valentina. I've had a rough night and I've got a long drive a head of me."_

" _It'll just take a second," I assured him as I dug through the pocket of my jeans. Pulling out the crumpled piece of paper, I took his hand and placed it in his palm. "I don't usually do this, but I really like talking to you and I was wondering if you'd like to come back to my place? Maybe have a couple beers to help get your mind off tonight? I live in Brooklyn, it's only twenty minutes from here. Look, just think it over, okay?"_

 _He looked down at the paper and his lips curled into a small smile. "No need to. I'll be there."_

" _Great! I'll see you soon!"_

 _Another thing I loved about Seth was that he was good on his word. When he arrived I'd already lit a few candles, took out some comfy blankets from the hallway closet and set them on the couch, laid some snacks out on the coffee table, and took the beers out on the fridge and set them next to the snacks._

" _So tell me more about yourself," Seth said, taking a sip of his beer as he sat down on the sofa._

 _Plopping down next to him, I crossed my legs and took a swig of beer. "Well, I spent four years of my life in Las Vegas, but once my parents' divorce was finalized a couple months before my tenth birthday, my dad and I moved here. Everything about Vegas reminded him of my mother, so he wanted to start fresh and move back to Brooklyn, his hometown. As much as I love Vegas, Brooklyn is my home. It's also where my wrestling career kicked off. As a fifteenth birthday present, my dad found a wrestling school in the area and signed me up."_

" _What happened to your mom anyway?" he inquired. "If you don't mind my asking."_

" _She walked out on me when I was nine," I said quietly. "My dad found out she'd been cheating on him and I came home from school to see them having a screaming match about it. Next thing I know, my mom storms out of the house with her bags and she's already got a cab waiting for her. I begged her not to go, not to leave me, but she just shook her head and said that she had to do what's best for her and that I'd understand when I got older."_

" _Valentina, I'm so sorry…" He pulled me into a hug and stroked my hair._

" _I-It's f-fine," I whispered into his shoulder. "What about you? Never did get your answer to my question at the arena."_

" _I was born and raised in Davenport, Iowa," he said with proud grin. "I was probably about fourteen when I decided that it was what I wanted to do as a career. So I began training and doing Indie shows here and there for a few years. Then last year I signed a three-year contract with Ring Of Honor. And the rest, they say, is history."_

 _Seth and I talked the whole night –or four a.m., if I'm being honest- until I dozed off in his arms. We chatted about our favorite Attitude Era rivalries, our favorite matches, our favorite Superstars and Divas, our tattoos, and how he got into CrossFit._

 _A loud yawn left my lips as I stretched my arms over my head and sat up, my gaze landing on the clock on the wall: 12:00. Normally I would've scolded myself for sleeping in, but seeing as I was exhausted after last night's events and the fact that our next show wasn't until the 16_ _th_ _, there was no need to beat myself up over it._

 _Rolling over, a folded piece of paper on the coffee table caught my attention. Quirking a brow, I opened it and read it._

 _ **Hello, Poison Ivy ;) Didn't want to wake you up since you were pretty tired. I found a CrossFit facility nearby (don't worry, I'm taking it easy today) and should be back soon and we'll go grab lunch. By the way, thanks for cheering me up last night. I owe ya one! ;D**_

 _My heart swelled with adoration as I read the last part. We'd just met and already we had a connection and wanted to spend more time together, and I was looking forward to every minute of it._

" _Seth Rollins," I said with a cheerful sigh. "This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship."_

* * *

Ah, Valentine's Day. The one day of the year that's a giant middle finger to anyone without a significant other. It also reminded me of how I'd been beating around the bush these past couple months. I still hadn't poured my heart out to Seth like I vowed to do. Whenever I contemplated doing it, that fear of rejection always hits me like a freight train.

That wasn't the only reason I hadn't gotten around to telling him though. These past two months had been nothing short of… rigorous. The New Year kicked off with Seth dropping the NXT Championship to Big E Langston, and he was devastated for the rest of the night when it occurred. Although the loss hit him hard, Dean, Roman, and I assured him that he was untouchable force on the main roster now and that he would have plenty of opportunities to be champion again.

Following that, we made sure the title stayed on Punk at all costs, and we'd been paid rather handsomely by Heyman for our services. When Seth came into my room and gave me an envelope from Paul Heyman filled with a wad of cash, I'll willingly admit that I felt somewhat dirty for accepting it. As if that wasn't bad enough, The Rock made his shocking return after a year away from the company and claimed he was going after Punk's title. They'd spent weeks brawling and trash talking each other before we'd had enough and decided to get involved, and by get involved I mean that the boys triple powerbombed Rock. Vince McMahon didn't take kindly to this, and despite Punk and Heyman trying to convince him that they had nothing to do with us attacking The Rock – which was a complete load of horseshit, by the way- and tried to prove it by bring up that we'd been too occupied with argue that we were currently occupied with our all-out war with Ryback, Sheamus, and Randy Orton. Vince wasn't buying any of it, and said that if we interfered in the WWE Title match at the Royal Rumble, then Punk would be stripped of the title.

We continued to try –big emphasis on "try" here- to ease Vince's suspicious. On the Smackdown prior to the Royal Rumble, Punk came up with a plan, which was that he'd call us out that night and say that he never asked for or wanted our help and that if we believed in justice, we'd stay out of his way.

Rock didn't believe that for a second, but that didn't stop us for agreeing to Punk's plan for the Royal Rumble. Halfway into his match against The Rock, we killed the lights and I hit Rock with Sin City before the boys triple powerbomed him. We thought Punk's plan was sure fire, until Michael Cole started yelling, "it's The Shield!"

We'd gotten out of dodge when the lights came on and Punk tried to act like he had nothing to do with it and pinned Rock, but then Vince came out and things went from bad to worse. Long story short, Rock had the match restarted and won the belt.

Punk was furious with us. He verbally tore us a new asshole for "fucking up his plan" and "that it was our fault he lost the title." He went on and on until I snapped and bitchslapped him, told him that I was done working for his spoiled ass, and shoved the cash-filled envelope in Heyman's hands before storming out. The boys came into my room that night and told me they had words with Punk after they left and said they'd severed ties with him, which I was thrilled to hear.

Now, we had Cena, Ryback, Sheamus and Natalya to deal with. They took it upon themselves to attack us last week as revenge for us taking out Brad Maddox. In our defense, he really had it coming for admitting to giving Vince the footage of Heyman grilling him and pointing out that, unlike Brad, we weren't greedy and when he paid us we didn't keep coming back for more, which then lead to all four of us giving Brad a beatdown to conclude the tape. Cena challenged us to a match at Elimination Chamber, which was now only three days away, and we accepted it.

Here I was, all cooped up in apartment in one of my Edge t-shirts that read _Lewd, Crude, and Tattooed_ on the front and _Not Your Damn Role Model_ on the back, black sweat pants with the Black Widow logo along the left leg, and Harley Quinn slipper boots, alone on Valentine's Day, about to watch an old episode of a pro-wrestling show that aired on MTV in 2007 called Wrestling Society. A giggle escaped my lips when Luna hopped up onto the couch and nestled beside me. Luna was a dark brown Pomeranian that I'd adopted from the local animal shelter right after Christmas. In addition, I adopted a stray cat with gray and white fur and bright blue eyes and named her Khaleesi.

Stroking her fur, I glanced down at the _I Am Not Afraid. I Won't Burn Out In This Place. My Intention Is to Fade. And I Will. I Will_ lyric tattoo on my inner left forearm, an ode to one of my favorite songs by The Pretty Reckless: House on A Hill. This wasn't the only tattoo I'd gotten recently: the side of my right thigh now read _Never was a girl with a wicked mind but everything looks better when the sun goes down_ with a small crescent moon hanging from the 'n' in down, the side of my left leg read _And Lord I Pray For Calmer Seas_ with four X's below it and _Don't Let The Water Drag You Down_ on the side of my right leg with four X's below it (these three also being tributes to The Pretty Reckless) and a rather alluring tattoo of Poison Ivy on my right thigh. My final tattoo was a teal and hot pink colored lotus that adorned the back of my right shoulder.

Stretching back, I picked up the carton of Half Baked flavored Ben & Jerry's ice cream and shoved a spoonful of it into my mouth before hitting 'play' on the remote.

" _ **AGGGHHHH! JIMMY! WHERE WERE YOU OUT THERE TONIGHT?!"**_

" _ **Bro, bro, relax! Dude, dude, I know we lost, but I got a plan." He picked up his guitar with a grin.**_

"… _ **Is this a joke?!"**_

" _ **No dude! Just tell me your feelings, we're gonna get em' all out. We're gonna put em' all out-"**_

" _ **Jimmy! I'm sore! I'm angry! And…And I'm hurt!"**_

" _ **Good, good, good! See, fear is the heart of love, and laced in the tears of defeat, will soar on the wings on the dove to victory."**_

" _ **Jimmy! Do you not get it?! We lost tonight! WE lost! And the worst part? We lost to a bunch of hippies!"**_

" _ **But that girl, dude! I could've found love! Look at the bigger picture, man." He strummed the guitar. "Isn't that nice, dude? Chill bro!"**_

 _ **Seth grabbed his guitar and stormed out. "UGH! I HATE THE 70s! BURN. IN. HEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLL!"**_

" _ **Let it out, bro! Just relax and let it out!"**_

As much as I tried to contain my laughter, I failed miserably the minute Seth yelled "BURN. IN. HELL!" in his screamo voice. Picking up the remote again, I hit the 'rewind' button followed by 'play'. I was only about ten seconds into the segment when my phone went off, prompting me to pause it.

 **Incoming Call:**

 **Seth Rollins**

 _Go into the back, it's only Skin City_

 _Dancin' to the top, ya know it ain't (RIGHT RIGHT)_

 _Glowin' in the dark, you're so pretty pretty_

"You've reached the Killer Queen's Kingdom," I said sardonically after hitting Accept. "What can I do ya for?"

"For starters, you can get off your pretty little ass and let me in before I catch my death out here," he joked.

 _Wait, what?!_

"You're a Midwestern boy, you should be used to the cold by now, Sethie," I quipped, setting the carton on the table and sitting up. "But seriously, Seth, you better not be fucking with me! Are you really here?!"

My apartment suddenly buzzed, nearly making me jump out of my skin. I hurried over to the intercom and pressed the button on it.

"Does that answer your question, sweetheart?"

 _Jesus, even over an intercom his voice still gave me shivers._

"Holy shit! You're not fucking with me after all!" I exclaimed excitedly. "Wait, I thought you said you were flying back home after that house show on Wednesday?"

"My flight got cancelled due to bad weather, so I made a change of plans. It actually worked out perfectly because now I get to spend Valentine's Day with my girl."

My heart fluttered at that, and I wasted no time in hitting the button that opened the lobby doors. I was thankful my complex had elevators because A) Seth wasn't one for packing light and B) my apartment was on the top floor.

A knock sounded on the door ten minutes later and I scuttled towards it and let him in. It was only noon but some of my neighbors had a habit of sleeping in, and I wanted to avoid a lecture from my landlord at all costs.

"Hey!" he greeted me and used his free arm to hug me as he walked in wheeling his suitcase behind him. Khalessi ran into the room and let out a soft meow before purring and rubbing up against his leg. He laughed and bent down to pet her. It was then that I noticed something sitting atop his suitcase: a small vase with a bouquet of red roses. He'd also tied the vase to the handle so it wouldn't fall off.

"And who might these be for?" I joked, bending over to sniff them, their sweet scent bringing a smile to my face.

"I was thinking of giving them to Summer actually," he joked, earning him a smack on the arm from me. "I'm kidding! They're for you. I know, I know, Valentine's Day isn't your favorite holiday, but maybe these will change your mind."

"It's a start," I replied mordantly, carefully detaching vase. "I'm gonna put these on my balcony table so Khalessi can't get to them. Plus they'll live longer this way."

When that was done, I returned to my living room to see Seth watching the segment between him and Jimmy.

He rubbed his temples before turning to me with an amused grin. "Care to explain this one, Vee?"

"What can I say? Your anger makes me very happy," I quipped, leaning against the wall. "If it's any consolation, I want to punch Jimmy in the face every time I watch it."

"That's comforting," he snorted, before his eyes landed on my Xbox 360. "What do you say to a game of Call of Duty?"

"I say you're on, and you better not let me get mauled by zombies again."

"I would never!"

* * *

"SETH! FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, HURRY UP AND BOARD IT UP! THESE DEAD NAZI BITCHES ARE TRIPLE-TEAMING ME!" I yelled, vigorously jabbing the buttons on my controller.

"I'M TRYING! PIPE DOWN!" he shouted back, licking his lips in concentration. "I TOLD YOU TO BUY THE M14! WHY DIDN'T YOU BUY THE M14?!"

"I DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH POINTS!" I whined, pushing the loose strands of hair that'd fallen out of my ponytail out of my face. "YOU HAD ONE JOB: DON'T LET THE ZOMBIES IN!"

"Easier said than done," he chortled, cracking his neck. "Yes! I've finally got enough points to open the door!"

"Finally!" I said sarcastically.

Seth shot me the finger and went back to anxiously pressing buttons again. "Shit, they're coming down the stair- I stand corrected! They're coming in through the wall too!"

"Buy the damn MP40 then!"

"But is it really worth a thousand points?"

"It is if you want to avoid showing up to Raw with pink hair!"

"…. Roger that!"

Two hours went by before we decided to call it quits and opted to watch The Notebook. Well actually, we flipped a coin over it and Seth lost, much to his disappointment, but his mood changed when I promised him we could get caught up on Game of Thrones afterwards. I had a flight to New Orleans booked, as did Seth, but we didn't have to be to the airport until ten and we were both already packed. I had an interview with Fox Sports New Orleans tomorrow morning, but afterwards Seth and I planned on getting some sightseeing in before Elimination Chamber. It was just gonna be the two of us, so maybe, just maybe, this chance would give me the push I needed.

" _ **You're bored! You're bored and you know it! You wouldn't be here if there wasn't something missing!"**_

" _ **You arrogant son of a bitch!"**_

" _ **Would you just stay with me?!"**_

" _ **Stay with you?! What for?! Look at us, we're already fightin'!"**_

" _ **Well that's what we do! We fight! You tell me when I'm being an arrogant son of a bitch and I tell you when you are a pain in the ass! Which you are, 99% of the time. I'm not afraid to hurt your feelings. You have like a 2 second rebound rate, then you're back doing the next pain-in-the-ass thing."**_

" _ **So what?"**_

" _ **So it's not gonna be easy. It's gonna be really hard. We're gonna have to work at this every day, but I want to do that because I want you. I want all of you, forever, you and me, every day. Will you do something for me, please? Just picture your life for me? 30 years from now, 40 years from now, what's it look like? If it's with him, go. Go! I lost you once, I think I can do it again. If I thought that's what you really wanted. But don't you take the easy way out!"**_

"It gets me every single time!" I sobbed loudly, grabbing a handful of tissues nearby and dabbing my eyes.

Seth took a swig of his red wine and rolled his eyes. "Tell me again why I agreed to this?"

"Bite me! It's the best romance movie of all time!"

"Pretty sure Titanic would like to test that theory."

"Whatever you say," I retorted, picking my wine glass off the table and taking a sip. "Besides, if I remember correctly, the last time we watched Titanic I'm 99% sure I saw you tear up when Jack died."

"Nope, that was you. And you woke my neighbors up because you were crying so loud."

"Was not! You can't hide from the truth, Seth! I know for a fact that you've cried while watching a sad scene! Does Dobby's death in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows ring a bell?"

"Touché," he muttered before digging into his pocket and withdrew what appeared to be two tickets. "Remember how bummed out you were a few weeks ago went those Pretty Reckless tickets went on sale? As luck would have it, I've got an old friend that now works at the Madison Square Garden arena. When I was on the phone with him he hooked me up with two seats that'd gone on resale, and in return I got him front row seats to Raw. The show's on March 23rd and I booked us a suite at The Plaza Hotel for the night. I figure we'll check in, go to dinner and then head on over to the arena. What do you say?"

 _SETH JUST ASKED ME OUT! Is this really fucking happening?! Am I dreaming?! Am I in the Twilight Zone?! Right. Be cool. Let's see if he considers it a date or not._

"I don't know what to say," I breathed, taking one of the tickets as he held it out. "Other than, well…. Are you asking me out on a date, Mr. Rollins? Should I dress all formal and shit? Or should I show up in sweats?"

"As a matter of fact, I am," he replied boldly. "For the record, you could show up wearing a potato sack and you'd still look sexy." He winked at me.

"Thanks," I mumbled, feeling my cheeks grow hot. "In that case, I'd love to go out with you, Seth."

"Perfect. I promise you, Vee, it'll be a night to remember."

* * *

The flight from Brooklyn to New Orleans was three and a half hours long, and Seth and I didn't arrive at the hotel until five in the morning, meaning I only got two hours of sleep because my interview was at nine. Thankfully there was a Starbucks across the street from the hotel so I took the opportunity to get as much caffeine in my system as possible.

For my interview, I selected a black _Wheels & Dollbaby_ cardigan with _DollBaby_ embroidered on the front and the original Dollbaby vintage logo printed on the back, black pants with leather paneling in the front, black heeled knee-high boots, gunmetal colored cross earrings with black and silver gems, and my _Valentina_ necklace. My hair was in loose curls, my lips were lightly coated in nude lipstick, and my eyes were sultry and dark.

I saw down at the broadcast table across from Jennifer, the woman who was interviewing me, and took a sip of my water. The cameraman waved his finger at us, letting us know that we were now live.

"Welcome back! I'm Jennifer Hale and joining me at this time, she's known as the Killer Queen of WWE and also one-fourth of The Shield: Valentina Monroe!" She gave me a warm smile. "Valentina, thank you so much for joining us."

"You're welcome," I replied enthusiastically. "What's up New Orleans?!"

"So you're in town for the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view this Sunday," she began. "What is your goal, ultimately, going into it?"

"Well, my goal is to take down Natalya and the rest of her team," I said matter-of-factly. "They're an injustice, and The Shield will not stand for it."

"I see," she said with a nod. "Talking of Natalya, the Divas division has not been the same since you made your debut, what inspired you to bring back such brutal matches?"

"It all started not long after we debuted at Survivor Series. When AJ and I were brawling in what was basically consider a street fight, all I could think -other than beating the crap out of her of course- was that this division was long overdue for a change, and that I wanted to be the one to speak up and make a change regardless of what everyone else thought. Women like Chyna, Lita, Victoria, and Mickie paved the way for women wrestlers. They made this division."

"Oh, absolutely," she replied earnestly. "I've noticed you're not afraid to take on the guys as well. You're the second Diva in history, the first being Lita, to be involved in a TLC match, how does that feel?"

"It's both surreal and phenomenal, Jennifer. If somebody had told me years ago that I'd be the second Diva in history to compete in a TLC match against not women, but men, I'd look at them like they'd grown a second head," I laughed.

"Since it's a new year, and everybody has their own resolutions, is winning the title yours?"

"Definitely. I can assure you that 2013 will be the year of Valentina Monroe. For now I'm biding my time, but I'm gonna do whatever it takes to win that championship."

"A little warning to all the Divas watching this," she teased. "But now I want to get into the juicer stuff, if that's okay with you?"

"Shoot."

"Alright, are you in a relationship with Seth Rollins?"

 _And this interview just got a lot more interesting…._

"No," I replied with a giggle as I shook my head. "Actually, Seth and I have known each other for five years now, but he's my best friend. We're not dating. Sorry to all the fangirls out there, don't think I haven't seen all your tweets and what you post on tumblr."

"Well that's all the time we have. Thank you so much for joining me, Valentina."

"And thank you for having me. Tickets to Elimination Chamber are unfortunately sold out, but we'll be in Lafayette this Monday for Raw and tickets are still available so grab em' while you can!"

* * *

"Hey sweetheart, how'd it go?" Seth asked, embracing me in a hug. I texted him prior to the interview to let him know when it would be over so we could meet up afterwards and hang out, as promised.

I wrapped my arms around my neck and smirked. "I think it went well, and you'll be pleased to heat that if New Orleans didn't believe in The Shield before, they do now. And if there are still any non-believers out there, they'll come around on Sunday."

"You've got that right," he said cockily and slung an arm around my shoulders. "So I've Googled some cool spots in the area and I was thinking we could go to the Prytania Theatre first and then go for drinks at the Port Of Call."

"The Prytania Theatre? Sounds very snazzy," I remarked.

"It's definitely different than your average movie theatre from what I've researched," he replied as we got into the cab. "But I'm not gonna spoil anything. Trust me, you'll love it. It's right up your alley."

* * *

Any doubts I had about the Pytania Theatre were tossed out the window once we walked in. This place had a very Old Hollywood theme to it when it came to the atmosphere. To add to that theme, it also screened cult classics like Rocky Horror Picture Show and Some Like It Hot. Seth and I's movie of choice was Moulin Rouge.

We had fifteen minutes before the movie started and we were both pretty hungry so getting concessions was certainly a must.

When it was our turn, Seth glanced at the menu again before clearing his throat. "Yeah, I'd like a bottled water, a soda, and one large-sized gelato."

The woman nodded and Seth handed her his credit card. "Sure thing. That'll be fifteen dollars. You and your wife enjoy the movie."

"W-Wife?!" I sputtered, my whole face turning beet red. "N-No, I-I'm n-not h-his-"

"Come along, honey," Seth purred, handing me my soda before linking his free arm with mine. "Don't wanna miss the movie, it's our anniversary after all."

"Well bless you both for coming here!" the woman said ecstatically. "Enjoy the movie, and Happy Anniversary!"

* * *

"Remind me to kick your ass later," I grumbled, once Seth and I sat down.

He took a bite of the gelato and smiled. "Aww, don't be like that, Mrs. Rollins! You know, Valentina Rollins actually does have a nice ring to it."

"You're already asking me to marry you and we haven't even had our first date yet," I giggled and shook my head as I stole a bite of the gelato. "You are something else, Seth."

"You love it," he said cheekily, his gaze veering to my lips. "You got a little…"

"I know, I know," I laughed and reached for a napkin, but Seth grabbed my wrist.

"Allow me," he said softly, shifting his body to lean towards me. His hand cupped the side of my face, his thumb lovingly stroked my cheek for a moment before he inclined himself closer. I closed my eyes, wanting nothing more than to kiss him like my entire being depended on it.

If only déjà vu hadn't reared its ugly head again...

 _It's like speaking in tongues_

 _To all of you now_

 _When will we ever (when will we ever) get what we deserve?_

 _How long until the tables turn?_

 _When will we ever (when will we ever) get what we deserve?_

Groaning, Seth kissed my forehead before irritably reaching into his pocket and taking out his phone. This was the third time we'd been interrupted and I couldn't help but feel a little disheartened. I quietly sipped my soda and wiped the inevitable tears that blurred my vision. The last thing I wanted was for Seth to see me cry and for this day to be ruined.

Seth ended the call and looked at me. "That was Dean. Apparently Sandra wants us to be at the arena a lot earlier on Sunday. Something about last minute fittings on our gear."

I nodded. "That's doable."

He wrapped his arm around me again as the previews began. As I turned my head to look at him, it dawned on me that in spite of the fact that we had been interrupted (AGAIN) and that I had tried to avoid telling him, I couldn't ignore what my heart wanted anymore. And what my heart wanted was him.

* * *

 _ **A/N: So after some careful consideration I decided to do a time skip. It'll still be a bit of a slow burn for our couple, but like I said, it'll be worth it! And, since I'm not the best at describing things, feel free to check out my Polyvore if you want to see all Valentina's outfits for this chapter, what Khaleesi and Luna look like, and her new tattoos. I've also changed a few of her other ones so feel free to check those out as well XD**_

 _ **References: "This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship" is from** **Batman: The Animated Series.**_

 _ **Thanks again for reading and please review! ^_^**_


	11. Elimination Chamber

_**A/N:**_ _Hey guys! So, first things first, WrestleMania was insane! Words cannot describe how thrilled I am now that Roman's now a 3x champ and that there's now a Women's Championship! It really warms my heart that women's wrestling is finally being taken seriously. I want to let you guys know that I'm still trying to recover from the dreaded writer's block, but the good news is I'm slowly starting to get that inspiration back. Also, I definitely recommend you guys look up the song used in this chapter. I heard it for the first time the other day and it totally screams Monrollins. So without further ado, here's chapter eleven!_

 _ **Seth rollins babe –**_ _Thank you! ^_^_

 _ **grrlygrrl**_ _– Thanks!_

 _ **Lill2350 –**_ _Thanks, girl! I think it's safe to say that she and Seth hit it off right away when they first met. They've got a lot in common and both of them being hardcore gamers is at the top of that list XD And I'll admit, I do feel somewhat terrible for having them constantly get interrupted by Dean, but let's be honest, Dean's never been one for backing off. And I'm glad you think they're adorable! Valentina's inner Sailor Moon/Game of Thrones fangirl definitely came out when she named them XD_

 _ **HelloP –**_ _Thanks! :)_

* * *

 _ **Chapter Eleven – Elimination Chamber**_

* * *

 _" **Everyone's around**_

 _ **No words are coming now**_

 _ **And I can't find my breath**_

 _ **Can we just say the rest with no sound?**_

 _ **And I know this isn't enough**_

 _ **I still don't measure up**_

 _ **And I'm not prepared**_

 _ **Sorry is never there when you need it**_

 _ **And I do want you to know**_

 _ **I'll hold you up above everyone**_

 _ **And I do want you to know**_

 _ **I think you'd be good to me**_

 _ **And I'd be so good to you**_

 _ **I would**_

 _ **I thought I saw a sign**_

 _ **Somewhere between the lines**_

 _ **But maybe it's me**_

 _ **Maybe I only see what I want**_

 _ **And I still have your letter**_

 _ **Just got caught between**_

 _ **Someone I just invented**_

 _ **Who I really am and who I've become." Good To You by Marianas Trench and Jessica Lee**_

* * *

 _ **Elimination Chamber**_

 _ **February 17th, 2013**_

 _ **New Orleans, Louisiana**_

 _ **New Orleans Arena**_

The next couple days went by a lot faster than I anticipated; with that third almost kiss between Seth and I still weighing heavily on my mind along with the amazing day we spent together. Nonetheless, I knew I had to get my head in the game regarding tonight's match, but even so I still couldn't contain my enthusiasm. Seth asked me out. Almost forty-eight hours passed since he did and it still felt unreal, to the point where I even pinched myself a handful of times to make sure I wasn't dreaming.

Sighing elatedly, I popped the trunk of my car open and extracted my cherry red suitcase adorned with a black and white winged crossed deign and black and white roses before placing my black heart shaped purse on my shoulder that read _Don't Call_ in white lettering.

My phone began vibrating and I knew it had to be one of the boys since I told them to go ahead and head to our dressing room while I found a parking spot. I shut the trunk and looked down and withdrew my phone from my purse before looking down at the screen.

 _ **Hey there, baby girl. You manage to find a spot?**_

 _Jesus, parking was a real bitch today, but yeah, I was able to score one._

 _ **Well hurry up and get over here. Seth's starting to get worried ;) Which reminds me; I'm glad he finally pulled his head out of his ass and asked you out.**_

… _..HOW IN THE BLUE HELL DID YOU FIND OUT?! :O_

 _ **It wasn't that hard. Dean and I sensed something was up when he was grinning like a toddler on Christmas Day when we were on our way to our dressing room. He wouldn't tell us what the hell was up so naturally Dean decided to investigate while he was in the shower…and found a ticket to The Pretty Reckless, a printed out hotel confirmation to The Plaza Hotel and a bunch of texts between the two of you that were even more lovey dovey than usual. Take care of my little brother, baby girl. ;D**_

 _Roman Joseph Reigns, consider yourself number 1 on my Spear list! :D_

 _ **Yeah, because that worked out so *well* for you the last time. Fyi, don't say Seth's full name when you're fucking him. For us guys, that's a major turn off. You're welcome, Valentina Ava Monroe.**_

My cheeks were tinged red as I scrolled through the last text while lugging my suitcase behind me. Perfect. Now I've got Roman on my ass about this. As if Dean wasn't bad enough!

Blowing out an aggravated sigh, I showed the security guy my badge and pretty much power walked down the corridor – well, as fast as I could in Christian Louboutins anyway.

"Valentina! Valentina, could I just get a couple minutes of your time?" I looked over my shoulder and saw Matt Striker jogging up to me, a hopeful smile on his face.

"Make it quick, Striker," I said firmly and leaned against my suitcase.

"Alright," he replied. "Tonight you, Roman, Seth and Dean will be facing Natalya, Sheamus, John Cena and Ryback, what is your plan going into this?"

"Our plan?" I laughed incredulously. "Look, Striker, all you need to know is that we're going to do what we do best, and that's take out the trash. We've dominated everyone that's been on our radar since we debuted and tonight will be no problem. Like Dean already pointed out, we're about to solve "The John Cena Problem". "

"So does that mean you four aren't nervous at all? Even if things don't end up going your way?"

"Did you not hear what I just said Striker? We're The Shield, we're not intimidated by anybody and we never back down," I sneered, inching closer to him, causing the poor man to gulp and take a step back. "Any more questions?"

"…W-Well, u-um, t-the WWE Universe wants to know if you and Seth are involved… romantically. As in, are you two secretly dating? Are you just close friends? What's going on?"

"As a matter of fact, Seth and I have known each other for quite a while now and if we were in fact dating I'm sure the WWE Universe would be the first to know," I bit out sardonically before whipping around and storming off before he could get another question in.

* * *

"About damn time you showed up," Dean snorted. "Last I checked, there ain't no mall in this arena, so what took ya so long?"

"Striker wanted a few minutes of my time and he came this close -" I held up my index finger and thumb to enunciate my point. "- to being on the receiving end of a Sin City."

"Let me guess, another question regarding you and the resident Architect?" Roman teased.

"Pretty much," I grunted, dumping my suitcase on the nearest bench. "Where'd he run off to anyway?"

"Right here." Seth walked into the room, now donning his Shield gear. "What are you guys talking about?"

"Oh, not much," Dean answered nonchalantly. "Just that you're about to become an even luckier son of a bitch come March 23rd."

"IS THERE NO FUCKING END TO YOUR X-RATED FILTER, DEAN?!" I shrieked, running a hand down my face in exasperation.

"My sentiments exactly," Seth muttered, and then cleared his throat. "Okay, here's what we're gonna do tonight. " He turned to me. "Stay focused on Natalya. Along with Kaitlyn she's the strongest Diva on the roster and she'll try to use that to her advantage. Don't give her that chance."

"Wouldn't dream of it," I said. "But I can't guarantee I won't get a hit in on one of those idiots when the ref's not looking, because let's face it, most of the refs we've got nowadays aren't the sharpest tools in the box."

"Ain't that the truth," Roman snorted. "I say we handle Cena first. I know for a fact he won't be kicking out at two anymore by the time we're finished with him."

"My condolences to any Cena fanboys in the audience," Dean retorted.

"What fanboys?!" I exclaimed with a giggle. "98% of the audience will sing "John Cena sucks" when his music hits and then chant "Cena sucks" when he gets in the ring!"

"Those 98% already believe in The Shield," Seth said cunningly. "As for the remaining 2%...it won't be long until we make believers out of them."

* * *

 _ **Sierra. Hotel. Echo. Lima. Delta. Shield.**_

"And their opponents, at a combined weight of 838 pounds, Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, Valentina Monroe, and Roman Reigns: The Shield!" Justin Roberts announced as we headed down the stairs towards the ring.

"It is only a second time Seth, Roman, and Dean will step into the ring for an actual match here in WWE. Back in December they were involved in a Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match" Cole remarked. "Valentina, on the other hand, has done exactly what she said she'd do. Over the last couple months she's been undefeated; flat-out decimating any Diva that she deems an injustice - And here we go!"

Just like at TLC, our opponents couldn't wait to get their hands on us. Ryback went after Roman, Cena went after Seth and Sheamus went after Ambrose, which left Natalya with me.

Disorienting her for the time being by smacking her head against the apron, I grabbed her wrist and went to whip her into the steel steps, but she reversed it last minute. A multitude of non-PG words left my mouth as my back harshly connected with the side of the steps.

"Valentina! Valentina!" Natalya mockingly chanted, stifling a laugh. "You can't do anything by yourself! Always gotta have your brothers backing you up!" She reached for my hair and I rammed my fist into her gut. She gasped in surprise and stumbled back, wrapping an arm around her stomach as she fought to regain her breath.

Scoffing, I ruthlessly snatched her up by the hair and looped my left leg around her left arm and then fell rearward, hitting her with a scissored ddt onto the floor. Then I lifted her up and tossed her into the ring, which was where the boys were now brawling with Cena, Sheamus and Ryback.

"Ryback's got Roman Reigns, Cena's got Rollins, Sheamus with Ambrose, Valentina with Natalya! Chaos! And I don't think this match has even begun!" Cole exclaimed.

"Yeah, I don't think you've got to worry about this being a traditional mixed tag team match, Michael!" Lawler quipped.

"I don't think anybody there cares if this match has been started," JBL said.

Natalya suddenly lifted me up and held me upside down, putting me in position for a vertical suplex. Her teammates were doing the same. Sheamus had Dean, Cena had Seth, and Ryback had Roman. I knew what was coming next and I dreaded the outcome. I'd been hit with this move many times, and I'm sure I speak for a lot of people when I say that it should've been named 'How to Almost Paralyze Your Opponent From The Waist Down'.

Sliding out of the ring, I sank to my knees and rubbed my back. The ref signaled for the time keeper to ring the bell and start the match. Like the rest of us, Dean was still suffering from the effects of a vertical suplex and Sheamus was eager to capitalize on that. He pushed Dean into the corner and began pummeling him until the ref told him to stop. Sheamus listened to him and took a step back for a few seconds and then marched towards Dean again. Dean kneed Shemus in the stomach and backed him into the turnbuckles before delivering some chops to his stomach.

Dean grabbed Sheamus's wrist and attempted to whip him into the opposite set of turnbuckles, but Sheamus turned it around and launched Dean into them. Dean stumbled forward and ran right into a knee shot to the face before Sheamus threw him over the top rope, only for Dean to quickly grab onto it.

Sheamus wrapped his arm around Dean's throat and pulled him backward, delivering a series of clubs to the lunatic's chest, the audience eagerly joining in on counting each one. After the third one, Seth hopped onto the apron and sprinted toward him. Sheamus decked him and he fell off the apron. Sheamus then tore Dean's vest open and began delivering more clubs to his bare chest, with Dean yelling out in pain after each one.

I looked over and saw that the ref had briefly turned his attention to Ryback and Cena, which gave me the perfect opportunity to get involved without getting us DQ'd. Sheamus dropped Dean and walked towards him as he tried to crawl away. He didn't get far though, because I stealthily suck up behind him, jumped up, and executed a Sin City.

"Aw, come on, that's not fair at all!" Cole shouted in protest.

"Leave it Valentina to get involved when she feels the need to!" Lawler chuckled. "Look at her now! She's acting like she didn't even do anything!"

"She's a genius!" JBL argued. "That's what Sheamus gets for playing dirty!"

Dean tagged in Roman before high-fiving me and helped me onto the apron. Seth gave me a pat on the back and bent down until his lips were by my ear.

"You are so devious, Monroe," he teased.

"Proud of it, darling," I replied haughtily.

Roman headbutted Sheamus twice before stomping on him two more times. Dean, Seth, and I cheer him on and then Dean held out his hand. Roman tagged him in and Seth tagged himself in. Roman held Sheamus up against the ropes and Dean ran over to the ropes on the opposite end, rebounding off them and nailing Sheamus with a dropkick. Seth caught him with a dropkick shortly after and went for the pin.

"One!"

"Two!"

Sheamus kicked out, but Seth was able to come up with another plan. He locked his arms around Sheamus's waist and his arms around his neck, applying an armbar/bodyscissor hold. Unfortunately, it didn't keep Sheamus down for long, so as soon as he got up Seth drove him into the corner. Or corner to be exact.

"Seth! Seth tag me in!" I said anxiously, holding out my hand. "Trust me, I've got this!

He nodded and slapped my hand. "Go get em', Vee."

Vaulting over the ropes, I wrung my hands together and impatiently tapped my foot as Sheamus feebly crawled over to his team's corner and tagged in Natalya. She and I circled each other for a few seconds, sizing each other up, and then locked up. Natalya overpowered me and grasped my hand, painfully twisting backwards and putting pressure on my wrist.

Jerking my body around, I hastily placed my free hand on the mat and swung my legs over my head, cartwheeling out of the wrist lock before ramming her with a clothesline. Pulling her up by the hair, I yanked her backwards and wrenched her sideways into an inverted swinging facebuster. I briskly yanked her leg up and went for the pin.

"One!"

Natalya got the shoulder up and shoved me off her, igniting cheers from the crowd. I frustratingly slapped the mat and grabbed her by the hair again. She countered by elbowing me in the jaw.

"Ouch! You know Valentina's gonna feel that one in the morning!" Lawler chuckled.

"Can you believe it? The absolute nerve of Natalya!" JBL huffed.

"Natalya now lifting Valentina up and ALABAMA SLAM!" Cole shouted. "Natalya has just hit her with an Alabama slam! Oh wait, she's not done! Sharpshooter! She's got her in the Sharpshooter! Is she gonna tap?!"

"What do you say, Valentina?" the ref asked me.

I shook my head no, but that didn't stop Natalya from inflicting more pain on my legs. She pulled them up and arched herself backwards, forcing a strangled cry from my lips. I almost wanted to tap out the pain was unbearable, but at the same time I didn't want to let the boys down and end our undefeated streak. We'd come too far and I'd be damned if I let Natalya and her crew fuck it all up.

"Valentina, come on! You're better than her, you can do this! We believe in you!" Ah, Seth, always so encouraging even in grueling situations.

"I swear to God if you tap out, Monroe!" Then there's the classic shitty remark from Deano.

"Shut up, Dean! Baby girl, you're almost there! Don't let her win!" Thanks a lot, Roman.

That last comment from Roman forced me back into 'Killer Queen' mode. Steadily, I inched myself over to the ropes, my hand latching onto the third one once I was in reach and Natalya had no choice but to let go.

Still sore from her submission, I awkwardly got to my feet and headbutted her before pressing my head against her gut and driving her into the nearest corner. Scrambling up to the top turnbuckle, I sat down with my feet on the adjacent second ropes. I wound my arm around her neck and lifted her up in a hangman's choke.

"One! Two! Three! Four! Valentina, get off!" The ref warned me as Natalya struggled and screamed.

Reluctantly, I dropped her and innocently raised my hands in defense before hopping off. Natalya rubbed her neck and skittered away from me, tagging in the one person we wanted to avoid facing….John Cena.

John cautiously stepped through the ropes and raised a brow at me as I stood there and folded my arms. Tauntingly, I waved my hand in front of my face, imitating his "you can't see me" gesture, before viciously backhanding him across the face.

"Oh, come on, Valentina!" Cole exclaimed. "That was completely unnecessary! So disrespectful!"

"That's what Cena gets!" JBL argued. "He was about to put his hands on her! He deserved that slap! He's lucky she didn't end him right there!"

"Looks like Dean, Roman, and Seth aren't complaining!" Lawler said. "Look at Dean, he can't stop laughing! And now she's tagged in Roman!"

Roman bolted towards Cena but Cena hit him with two clotheslines followed by a Five Knuckle Shuffle. He set Roman up for an AA, and since the ref's back was turned, Seth was able to run in and distract Cena. Cena grabbed him by the back of the neck and threw him out of the ring. My eyes widened as he turned to Roman and locked in the STF.

Dean interjected and broke it up, earning him a brief scolding from the ref. I mouthed, "keep him busy" at Dean, to which he subtly nodded and continued to argue with the ref. Wasting no time, I covertly stepped through the ropes, grabbed Cena and hit him with The Hard Goodbye.

While the ref didn't see what happened, Natalya sure did, and as soon as I turned around she coiled her arms up and around my torso and lifted me into an upside-down vertical position before falling back, slamming me down with a butterfly suplex.

We both rolled out of the ring and traded blows again. This continued for twenty seconds or so before Natalya spun around and took me down with a discus clothesline. Immediately my hands flew to my head as it connected with the floor.

Natalya smiled triumphantly as the crowd cheered her actions and stalked towards me again. Using what little strength I had, I turned my leg and floored her with a leg sweep. Forcibly, I stood up and waited for her to follow suit. When she did, I retaliated by running towards her and delivering a Spear.

Natalya's breathing got heavier as she held her stomach, and remembering Seth's advice, I refused to allow her the chance to recover . Rising to my feet, I got on the apron and positioned myself so I was facing her. My next move was very risky and screwing it up was not an option. Inhaling sharply, I backflipped off the apron and executed a shooting star press.

I stood up and stared down at Natalya. She was completely out of it which confirmed that she was out of my way for the time being, so I dusted my hands off and strutted over to the boys.

We were mauling our opponents – or _opponent_ in this case since Cena was still the legal man - as time rolled on. Roman lifted him up and dropped him with a Samoan drop before going for the cover.

"One!"

"Two!"

Cena kicked out and the four of us screamed and yelled out in irritation. Unbelievable. Even after being pummeled and pulverized Cena still refused to give up.

"We have to finish him!" Seth shouted at Roman.

"You've got this, bro!" I yelled, nodding my head in agreement. "He can't kick out at two forever!"

Roman glared down at Cena and knelt down behind him, his arms winding around the smaller man's neck and trapping him in a cobra clutch. Natalya and Sheamus started screaming at Cena, which infuriated me to the point where I was clenching my teeth and my fists.

"Alright, I've had enough of this," I sneered, extending my hand. "Yo, Roman! Let me at her!"

He glanced down at Cena for a brief moment (more than likely contemplating if he wanted to tag me in or continue beading down Cena instead), and then with a quick nod, he slapped my hand while Cena slapped Natalya's.

Just as I anticipated, she instantly made a beeline for me, throwing her arm out and setting up for a clothesline. I ducked under her arm and dropped into a front split. Rolling over, I scrambled to my feet and corkscrewed my arm around her throat before falling back and ramming her into the mat with a reverse sto. Sinking to my knees, I raised her leg up.

"One!"

"Tw-"

Natalya kicked out again and smirked at me, a smirk that basically screamed, 'you've gotta do better than that, little girl.' No matter what, I couldn't allow myself to get frustrated again, if I did, she'd have the chance to gain the upper hand.

"Big mistake, Nattie," I said in a sickly sweet voice before swiveling around and stalking over to the turnbuckles. Promptly climbing to the top one, I got in position for a crossbody. Natalya jogged over to me, lifted me up onto her shoulders and planted me with a sitout powerbomb. She then reached between his my legs with her right arm and reached around my neck from the same side with her left arm. Hoisting me up, she turned me around until I was upside down and dropped down into a sitout position, delivering a michinoku driver.

Raising my head, I saw Dean frantically holding his hand out, shouting for me to tag him in. I started to crawl towards him but Natalya grabbed my leg and pulled me back, roughly pulling my leg up and leaning all her weight on me.

"One!"

"Two!"

Hastily, I lifted my shoulder up just seconds before the ref hit the mat a third time. The realization that we almost lost started to sink in and it was clear I needed to make a tag. I desperately crawled over to Dean and slapped his hand. Natalya rolled her eyes and muttered something under her breath before turning around and and tagging in Cena.

Dean delivered three chops to Cena followed by a couple kicks. He pulled Cena up and dropped him with a neckbreaker before going for another cover. Cena kicked out at two again. Dean let out an agitated growl and put him in a headscissor hold.

"Again, what's impressive here guys is that they're doing this to John Cena, to your point, John, a ten time WWE Champion," Cole remarked. "They've completely neutralized Cena, they've taken him completely out of the game here, and they're keeping him away from his partners!"

"They've managed to turn numbers in their favor," JBL pointed out. "It's four-on-four and they've somehow managed to keep it four-on-one. I'm telling you, these guys are phenomenal!"

"And look at the looks Valentina and Natalya are giving each other!" Lawler quipped. "Natalya almost pinned her and you can see in her eyes that she isn't about to let that go!"

"And she shouldn't!" JBL chimed in. "If I were Natalya I'd be keeping both eyes in the back of my head from now on!"

Dean kneed Cena in the stomach and tucked his head underneath his armpit and hit him with a DDT. Dean rolled his body over and lifted his leg up.

"One!"

"Two!"

Cena got the shoulder up and Dean and Seth started arguing the ref about that being a three count whilst Roman and I were screaming for Cena to give up. The crowd was chanting "FEED ME MORE!" as Dean maliciously glared at Cena. Backing up, he bounced off the ropes and bolted towards him but Cena dumped him over the ropes. Cena hobbled over to his corner and tagged in Ryback. And just like that, the tables had turned. He clotheslined Seth and Dean and then delivered a back body drop to both of them. It was after he powerbombed Seth that I closed my eyes and tried to think of a way to take out Ryback without the ref seeing me.

I lightly tugged on Roman's vest to get his attention and then pulled him down to my height so his ear was by my mouth. "Distract the referee, I'm taking out this behemoth once and for all."

"I don't know, baby girl." Roman's eyes darted to Ryback and then me. "In case you haven't noticed, Ryback's not exactly a small guy."

"I'm well aware of that," I replied. "Just trust me on this, alright?"

"Whatever you say," he mumbled with a nod before walking over towards the ref. He tapped him on the shoulder and yelled at him.

Leaping over the ropes, I positioned myself so that I was standing right behind Ryback. It was a cheap shot but it would also give us the ammo we needed to win. My foot successfully slammed against his back as I executed a Sin City and he doubled over.

In my peripheral, I saw Natalya heading towards me, ready to punish me again for interfering. As she went for another clothesline, I avoided it by bending over backwards into a bridging position. Craning my body upward, I extended my arm and clotheslined her over the top rope.

Sliding out of the ring, I saw Sheamus toss Dean over the top rope and tumbled to the floor alongside him. Natalya groaned and falteringly got to her feet. That's when Roman walked up beside me and grinned. "When I snap my fingers, we spear both of them through the barricade."

"I'm in," I said with a smirk and bent over.

He snapped his fingers and the two of us sprinted towards Natalya and Sheamus, simultaneously spearing both of them through the barricade and into the time keeper's area.

"Roman Reigns and Valentina Monroe!" Cole yelled. "Oh my God! Roman Reigns and Valentina Monroe just speared Sheamus and Natalya into the time keeper's area!"

"Sheamus and Natalya never saw it coming!" JBL said.

I felt a muscular pair of arms wrap around me and I glanced up to see Dean holding me. He grinned down at me and rubbed my back.

"Wicked spear, darlin'," he commented.

"Just because I'm in pain doesn't mean I can't still kick your ass if you try to cop a feel again, Ambrose," I bit out.

"I like the sound of that too, now if you'll excuse me." He carefully let me go and dashed into the ring just as Ryback was about to hit Seth with Shell Shocked. Roman was right behind him and it quickly turned into a three on one beating.

"Get him up! Get him up!" Seth commanded.

"Finish him!" I yelled, rolling into the ring and standing beside Roman. He let out a roar and Seth and Dean draped Ryback's arms over their shoulders.

Cena grabbed Roman's ankle and pulled him out of the ring. All I could see was red as I snarled and vaulted over the ropes. Cena had already taken down Roman, but that didn't stop me from taking him out of the equation as well with a spinning heel kick.

"One!"

"Two!"

"Three!"

The sound of our music going off and Justin Roberts announcing us the winners brought another triumphant grin to my face. Clutching the ring apron, I hoisted myself up and then hugged the boys when they exited the ring.

Another day, another victory.

* * *

Once we were backstage I told the boys to go ahead and head out to the parking garage if they finished showering before me. When I was in the locker room I stripped off my gear and wrapped a towel around myself. Unlocking my phone screen, I logged onto Twitter and sent out a tweet.

 _ **TheKillerQueenOfWWE: One by one, all of your "heroes" have been decimated, humiliated, and broken. You can't stop us, no one can. All you can do now is open your eyes and believe. Believe in us. #BelieveInTheShield**_

Turning the knob, I stepped inside the shower and closed the curtain behind me. I let out a hiss as the hot water hit my skin, causing my aching muscles to sting even more than they already were for a few moments before the pain subdued.

My eyes fluttered closed as the water cascaded down my body, relaxing me and putting me at ease. God only knows I needed it after the match I just got out of. Sure we won, but practically overexerting myself was a small price to pay for that victory. Truth be told, it wasn't like I was going up against someone like Aksana. I went up against Natalya, a woman who wasn't your average cookie-cutter Diva. She was a 3rd generation wrestler and she certainly lived up to that.

The sound of the curtain being pushed aside interjected my thoughts, my body automatically tensing up. Whoever this pervert was, he was about to get a knuckle sandwich with a Sin City on the side.

"I hardly recognize you without your crown," Seth whispered huskily against the shell of my ear, his hands resting on my hips as he pulled me flush against him.

Leaning into his touch, I giggled softly and smirked. "Mmm, and I feel naked without it."

He abruptly turned me around and pulling me into a scorching, vehement kiss. My hand rested on the back of his neck as his tongue lashed against mine. Feeling bold, I gripped his bi-colored hair and tugged.

He pulled away and looked at me, his brown orbs darkening and filled to the brim with lust. "You're in for it now, sweetheart."

My hands braced the shower wall as his lips made their way down my body, kissing my neck, collarbone, the swells of my breasts, my ribs and my stomach. His hands moved up my ribs to my breasts, cupping them, tweaking my nipples with his thumbs, making me bite my lip as the coil grew tighter.

He lowered his head and placed his hands on my thighs, pulling them apart and leaving me completely exposed to him. He lifted my right leg and placed it on his shoulder, trailing kisses along my inner thigh until he reached the one place I wanted him most. And he didn't hesitate. He dove right in, his tongue fervently lapping at my slit while his lips wrapped around my aching nub.

"S-Seth… Oh my God, d-don't stop…. S-So close," I whined as he continued to nibble on and kiss my clit before adding two fingers. The coil in my stomach was getting closer to breaking as he pumped them in and out. The enthralling sensation that rippled through me was overwhelming and I didn't know how much more I could take.

"S-SETH!" I screamed as my orgasm wracked my body, my nails scraping the wet tiles behind me. He stayed down, giving me a few gentle licks before kissing me hungrily, allowing me to taste myself.

"So sweet… I'll never get tired of doing that," he whispered against my lips.

Before I could utter a response, he hoisted me up and pinned me against the shower wall, my legs immediately wrapping around his waist. A throaty moan left both our lips as he pushed in, my hands were gripping his shoulders and his was face buried in my neck, kissing and biting every inch of skin he could.

By now I had zero doubt that anyone in vicinity heard us. With how loud I was screaming, I wouldn't be shocked if the entire state of Louisiana heard us! But those thoughts quickly melted away when Seth pulled away from my neck and looked at me, lust and adoration engulfing his orbs.

"You like that, Valentina?" he ground out, his thrusts increasing. "You feel so good, love. You gonna cum for me?"

Unable to string together a coherent sentence, all I could do was nod my head. His thrusts quickened, sending my mind into overdrive as my eyes rolled back. His hand slid down and his thumb rubbed my clit.

"SETH!" I screamed, my body convulsing under his touch as the coil snapped. My nails raked down his back as he came with me. He kissed all over my face and pulled out of me. Then he carefully laid me down against the shower wall, his arms lovingly wrapping around me as my body trembled against him.

"I love you, Seth Rollins," I breathed.

"I love you too, Valentina Monroe," he murmured. He gently took hold of my chin and pressed a deep kiss to my lips.

 _She's a killa queen_

 _She'll break your heart_

 _Tear it apart_

 _Just to watch you scream_

 _She longs for the fight_

 _Your blood in the night_

 _The killer you fear in your dreams_

 _She's a killa queen_

The sound of my new ringtone echoing throughout the locker room enabled me to snap my eyes open. I was lying against the shower wall, but Seth wasn't holding me. And yet, my head was still spinning and my body was still trembling. It felt so real, but it wasn't. I was forced to come to grips with the fact that I had another fantasy about Seth Rollins.

"Get a hold of yourself, Valentina," I huffed, promptly turning off the shower and wrapping a towel around myself. "You're not nineteen anymore, stop acting like a horny teenager!" I scolded myself.

Once I spent five minutes trying to calm myself down – mostly by splashing some cold water on my face - I rounded the corner and walked over to the bench where I stacked my clothes, phone and gear. A high-pitched ringing came from my phone and _**Seth Rollins would like to FaceTime**_ was displayed across the screen.

I swiped my finger across the screen and was greeted by a somewhat impatient looking Seth, whose cheeks flushed upon seeing my toweled form.

"Shit, sorry about that, Vee, I didn't know you were still getting ready," he muttered, nervously scratching the back of his neck.

"Wait, Monroe's possibly naked?! Move over!" Seth was shoved out of frame and Dean's face came into view. He licked his lips while his eyes scanned up and down my body.

"Not exactly naked, but eh, I ain't complainin'," he said. "Don't suppose you would mind dropping that towel while I'm here, would you, darlin'?"

"Dean, you have five seconds to put Seth back on or else I'll see to it that you'll be wearing an iron lung for the next sixty years," I spat, indignantly digging my fingers into my temple.

Dean was then pushed out of frame and replaced with a now apologetic and slightly annoyed Seth. "All jokes aside, are you okay?" he asked, his voice now laced with concern. "You're looking rather flushed again."

"Probably because I need to get laid," I muttered.

"W-What was that?"

"U-Uhh, I was just saying that I'm looking forward to our date!"

"As am I, sweetheart. As am I," he smiled. "Oh, and if you're interested, to celebrate our victory I was thinking we could go back to our room, order up some pizza and beer and have a Star Wars marathon, you up for it?"

"FUCK YEAH I AM!" I screeched, eagerly nodding my head. I was an avid Star Wars fan and had watched the franchise a million times.

"NERDS!" Dean vexingly yelled in the background.

"FUCK YOU, AMBROSE!" Seth and I yelled in unison.

"Don't swing that way, bro! But Vee, if you want me, you know where to find me!"

Seth then playfully rolled his eyes and I bit my tongue and suppressed the urge to curse Dean out. "So, as I was saying, before we were RUDELY interrupted, are you up for a Star Wars-filled evening with your ninja?"

"You got it, dude," I blew him a kiss. "I'll be out in ten."

"Aww, no show for moi?"

"DEAN!" Seth snapped, before quickly turning his head to look at me. "If you excuse me, I've got a lunatic to straighten out."

"Yeah, you do that and let me know if you need me to look up the number for the local asylum," I rebutted, and hit 'End Call'.

Welp, at least I had a Star Wars celebration with the resident Architect to look forward to.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Sooo, yeah, I think I'm just gonna go ahead and bump the rating up to M because I know this won't be the only time things get hot and heavy for Monrollins (even if it was just another fantasy XD). However, I'm still getting the hang of writing smut so bear with me XD.**_

 _ **On a more serious note, words cannot express how devastated I was - and still am – after reading that Chyna had passed away. When I first started watching wrestling back in my junior year of high school hers and Lita's matches were the first ones I really got into. A true legend in women's wrestling.**_


	12. All Fun And Games

_**A/N:**_ _Hey ya'll! Hope you all enjoyed the previous chapter and as per usual don't forget to leave a review. Your support and feedback is much appreciated and it really helps fuel my motivation. :D In this chapter we get to see Valentina spending more time with the boys, and of course there'll be more Monrollins moments. And can I just express how ecstatic I am now that Seth's back?! Like I literally marked out when I was watching Extreme Rules!_

 _ **Lill2350 -**_ _*blushes and bows* Why thank you, I try, I try ^_^. I can guarantee it won't be long before they become a reality. And yeah, for once I wanted to involve a diva in the whole feud between The Shield vs. Sheamus, Cena and Ryback and I wanted it to be one that would really push Valentina to her limit, and of course Nattie was the first one that came to mind. Then as I was re-watching the match and saw Roman spear Sheamus I automatically pictured Valentina doing the same to Nattie. Nothing like a good bother/sister moment then spearing your opponents through a barricade XD Oh, and I love your avatar pic, by the way. I'm a big fan of Margot Robbie and Jared Leto (especially Jared because I'm a theatre major and I really admire his method acting technique) and I think they're gonna be amazing in Suicide Squad._

* * *

 _ **Chapter Twelve – All Fun And Games**_

* * *

 _"_ _ **Round and round like a horse on a carousel, we go,  
Will I catch up to love? I could never tell, I know,  
**_

 _ **Chasing after you is like a fairytale, but I,  
Feel like I'm glued on tight to this carousel**_

 _ **Come, come one, come all,**_  
 _ **You must be this tall**_

 _ **To ride this ride at the carnival  
Oh, come, take my hand  
**_

 _ **And run through playland  
So high, too high at the carnival**_

 _ **And it's all fun and games,**_  
 _ **'Til somebody falls in love,**_

 _ **But you've already bought a ticket,  
And there's no turning back now**_

 _ **Round and round like a horse on a carousel, we go,**_  
 _ **Will I catch up to love? I could never tell, I know,**_

 _ **Chasing after you is like a fairytale, but I,  
Feel like I'm glued on tight to this carousel**_

 _ **This horse is too slow,**_  
 _ **We're always this close,**_

 _ **Almost, almost, we're a freakshow." Carousel by Melanie Martinez**_

* * *

The mouthwatering aroma of cheese pizza wafted into my nostrils as Seth set the box down on the table and popped it open. Beside it were paper plates and a box of Budweisers. Normally Seth and I made it a tradition to save the Star Wars marathon for May 4th (also known as Star Wars Day), but for whatever reason, we were making an exception this year. I didn't mind for two reasons: 1) I was always up for a Star Wars binge, and 2) I finally got a chance to appreciate Seth's company without being interrupted by Dean as he'd chosen to hit the sack shortly after we all checked in.

"If we're watching the prequels I'm prepared to cringe whenever Hayden Christensen talks or is even referenced," Seth huffed, snapping open his beer and tugging on his Darth Vader t-shirt. Being that we were about to watch one of the best franchises of all time, we made it a must to look the part. In addition to his Darth Vader shirt, Seth was also donning a pair of black pajama pants with the Star Wars script and Millennium Falcon along the left leg.

I selected one of my ROH t-shirts, which had the company's logo on the front and This Is Wrestling on the back, a pair of Darth Vader themed leggings, and Darth Vader slippers. Around my neck was a silver Jedi Order pendant that Seth had gotten for me for my 20th birthday.

"Hey! He was not that bad!" I defended, carefully picking up two slices and placing them on my plate.

"Yeah, he was, you're just defending him because you think he's hot," he said, matter-of-factly. "I wanted to gauge my fucking eyes out and track down the moron responsible for casting him in the first place! Watching him act was more boring and irritating than watching paint dry."

"Say what you will, but I thought he did a great job at showing the reason for Skywalker's descent into the Dark Side," I shrugged and set my plate down on the bed and my beer on the bedside table. Seth's laptop was positioned in the center of the bed with the Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope dvd menu arrayed across the screen.

"Anyone but Christensen, that's all I'm going to say," he said, taking a swig of his beer before lying down beside me with his plate on his lap.

"Don't throw your beer at the screen, Sethie, you remember what happened the last time," I teased.

When we watched the prequels last year it was the only time Seth lost his cool whenever Hayden had a scene, and his "rational explanation" was, "If I have to endure yet another wooden performance by Hayden fucking Christensen then I'm gonna need loads of alcohol to make sure I don't throw this TV out the window." And while he didn't do just that, what he did was far more unexpected. He carelessly threw his red lightsaber at the TV, which was both effective in shattering his screen open and said lightsaber. To make matters worse, both cost him an arm and a leg to replace.

"He already ruined my TV and my lightsaber, he's not worth ruining my laptop," he retorted, picking up his slice and munching on it.

Clicking the Play button, I stretched my feet out and breathed out a tranquil sigh as my head hit the pillow. That position didn't last long though, as Seth scooted closer to me so that my head lay against his chest.

"Man, what I wouldn't do to fly the Millennium Falcon," Seth muttered in awe as Luke and Han took on the TIE fighters.

"You saying you can make the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs, Sethwalker?" I joked, playfully swatting his arm.

"That's a challenge I'd definitely be up for," he grinned. "And I'd be up for you sitting beside me in a slave girl outfit, just saying."

"Jesus, now you sound like Dean," I groaned.

"I HEARD THAT!" Dean's voice rang out from the other room, which was then followed by a high-pitched moan and a bunch of, "Oh Dean, yes! Right there! More! More! Oh my fucking God!"

"He brought a fucking ring rat back?!" I whisper-exclaimed, my eyes widening in disgust.

"Apparently," Seth huffed, before tossing a pillow at the door. "KEEP IT DOWN, LUNATIC!"

"NO CAN DO BRO!"

"Son of a bitch, he is not about to ruin our Star Wars marathon!" I snapped, marching towards the door and throwing it open. Seth yelled after me, saying that it wasn't worth it and that we could postpone our marathon, but I flat-out ignored him.

Pushing Dean's door open, I was welcomed by the sight of a busty ravenette riding him and Dean groaning in delight. The girl immediately shrieked, got off Dean, and frantically grabbed her clothes and began pulling them on. Dean, meanwhile, was yelling, "What the fuck, Valentina?!" and "Haven't you ever heard of knocking?!" and "If you wanted to join us all you had to do was ask!"

"Get. Out," I sneered at the girl, who swiftly nodded and high tailed it out of the room. Turning to Dean, I harshly backhanded him across the face and gritted my teeth together. "I fucking told you that Seth and I had plans tonight, but oh no, Dean "The Horny Lunatic" Ambrose can't even keep it in his pants for ONE. FUCKING. NIGHT!" I screamed, my Brooklyn accent instantly slipping out. This only occurred when I was full-on pissed. Suffice to say, I was ready to rip Dean a well-deserved asshole.

Dean's head slowly turned sideways to look at me, and I felt a chill run down my spine when I saw that familiar delirious look in his blue orbs. I wouldn't be surprised at all if Dean was secretly Barry Allen because in a flash he had me shoved me up against the wall, using his bodyweight to pin me there. His 6'4 frame easily towered over my 5'8 one.

"Let's get one thing straight, Monroe," he said darkly, placing his hands on either side of my head. "You're not the boss of me, and if I wanna bring a girl back and fuck her brains out, I don't need your fucking permission to do so. It ain't my fault you're sexually frustrated. But, on the other hand..." His hand suddenly trailed up my legging-clad thigh and my heart thumped wildly in my chest, but it wasn't from being turned on. I was fucking petrified, and the fact that Dean was showing shades of Jon Moxley wasn't helping the situation one bit.

"I could help you out in that department, you know," he continued. "Tell me darlin', have you ever been fucked against a wall before?"

"D-Dean, l-let m-me g-go, y-you're i-insane" I spluttered, grabbing his hand as it neared closer to my mound. He chuckled lowly and raised it to rest against my throat.

"I don't appreciate you barging into MY room and telling my girl to leave, darlin'," he rasped, leaning in to run his tongue down my cheek. "Maybe I think you owe me for it…"

"DEAN, GET OFF HER!" Dean was suddenly ripped away from me and Seth was in his face, breathing raggedly and giving him a murderous glare. "What the fuck's wrong with you?! Are you out of your mind?!"

"She shouldn't have barged in on me," Dean replied nonchalantly.

"ARE YOU SHITTING ME RIGHT NOW?!" I screamed, my mood switching from terrified to enraged in a millisecond. "YOU JUST SHOVED ME UP AGAINST THE WALL AND TRIED TO GO JON MOXLEY ON MY ASS, YOU STUPID FUCK!" I marched over to him, but a bigger set of arms caught me and pulled me back, halting me from spearing his ass through the floorboards. From the olive tanned skin and long black hair I immediately recognized the culprit.

"Roman, let me go," I snarled.

"Rome, take her back to our room," Seth said sternly, never taking his eyes off Dean. "I need to have a little chat with Ambrose."

"You're not gonna kill him, are you?" Roman inquired, cocking a brow.

"I can't make that promise," he mumbled, pinching the bridge of his nose as he ushered us out.

"Are you alright, baby girl?" Roman asked softly as he sat down on the bed beside me.

"I honestly don't know, Ro," I said. "I knew Dean had an insane side, but…the side I saw tonight was reminiscent of his CZW persona. Yes, I admit I probably shouldn't have gone into his room like a madwoman and told the girl to get out, but I never thought he'd actually…."

"Listen to me, Vee." He lifted my chin up, concern evident in his grey orbs. "This isn't your fault. I love him, he's my brother, but he crossed the line by putting his hands on you like that. And I can promise you that if Seth doesn't straighten him out then I will."

"….Can you give him a spear for me?" I asked quietly, my lips curving into a small smile at his words.

"Anything for you, sis."

* * *

The tension between Dean and I was thick enough to cut with a butcher knife the following morning. What's worse was that Raw was in Layfayette, meaning I had to be stuck in a car with him for the next two hours. To most girls that would've been considered a dream come true, but if I had a choice between this and spending a night in Arkham I would pick the latter of the two in a heartbeat.

As a "precaution" (or rather, so Dean and I didn't end up in the ICU for trying to maul each other), Seth told Dean to sit up front with Roman while him and I took the backseat. Being in a sour mood, I didn't argue and shuffled into the backseat, placing my black and red headphones with the Rebel Alliance symbol engraved on them on my ears before plugging them into my phone. Scrolling through my Pretty Reckless-themed playlist, I hit the shuffle button and pulled up the hood of my black and pink UFC hoodie as _Sleeze Sister_ filtered into my eardrums and kicked back.

 _I'm your sleeze sister,_

 _I'm your sleeze sister,_

 _I'm your sleeze sister,_

 _Be your sleeze sister,_

 _Be your sleaze sister,_

 _Be your sleeze sister,_

 _Fuck conformity,_

 _Fuck conformity,_

 _Fuck conformity,_

 _Fuck conformity,_

 _Fuck conformity!_

 _Fuck conformity!_

Seth waved his hand in front of my face, impelling me to let out an annoyed, "What?" before grudgingly removing my headphones and my hood.

"Just wanted to let you know that we decided to stop at a gas station to refill and Rome and I wanted to know if you wanted anything," he replied tentatively, and then looked down at my phone with an amused smirk. "Sleeze sister, eh? Sounds like a very interesting song, Vee."

"You know it," I retorted. "Well, that's good to hear because I'm starving. I'll have a hot dog with ketchup and mustard, a bag of Funyuns and a bottled water. I think I've got a twenty in my purse here, just give me a minute." I bent down and picked up my black leather spell book-shaped clutch that read _Black Magic_ in silver lettering.

"Don't. It's on me," Seth insisted, a toothy grin spread across his face.

"Hate to be a cockblock…actually, no I don't," Dean interjected. "I'll take a bag of fries if they have any and a Gatorade."

Seth nodded. "Be back in a few. Can I trust you two to be alone for five minutes without killing each other?"

"No sweat, Anakin," Dean said impertinently, waving him off.

Once Seth left I felt the need to finally address the one issue that had been grinding my gears ever since we left New Orleans: Dean's seat. I don't know if he purposely pushed it back to the point where it was making my legs ache or what, but either way I was through biting my tongue about it.

"Can you move your seat up?" I demanded sharply, my eyes narrowing into slits.

"Nope." He popped the 'p'.

"Jesus, of all fucking people I HAD to be alone in the car with…"

"It's not exactly pleasing for me either, darlin'."

"Look, if this is because I won't give you an apology then you're even more childish and dense than I fucking thought. If you'd get your head out of your ass you'd realize that I'm not in the wrong here!"

The car was dead silent for about two minutes, and then Dean let out a heavy sigh and spun around to look at me. He awkwardly scratched the back of his neck. "So I think we've established that I'm no good at this apology shit…."

"No, really?" I chortled.

He held up his hand. "Just…let me finish, alright? For once I'll admit that I….was wrong."

"Not exactly what I was hoping for, but I'll take it," I said discernibly. "It's better than us getting killed at Raw tonight because we couldn't sort our shit out."

"Then shut up and give your big brother a hug." His tone was playful as he unbuckled his seatbelt. Giggling, I unbuckled mine and maneuvered myself towards the front seat, wrapping my arms around him. His hands soothingly caressed my back as I buried my face in his shoulder.

"Oh my God! It's Dean Ambrose and Valentina Monroe!"

We pulled away from our hug and turned towards the source of the high-pitched voices. Standing right outside Dean's window were two girls no younger than nineteen or twenty. One had bleached blonde hair and the other had black hair with blue streaks, and both were also dressed in Shield t-shirts. Their already thrilled smiles got even wider as Dean rolled down his window. "Well, hey there, ladies. What can I do for ya?"

"We just wanted to say that we love The Shield!" Blondie squealed, holding out a mini –hot pink colored notebook and a pen.

"And that we believe in you til the end!" Miss Two-Toned piped up, holding out her on mini-notebook and pen. "Again, sorry to bother you two, but can we get your autographs?"

"Sure thing," Dean said with a smirk and scribbled down _**Believe in Dean Ambrose xoxo**_ and I added _**Valentina Monroe**_ and doodled a bunch of hearts and tiaras beside my signature.

"Thank you so, so much!" Blondie chirped. "And you guys were just hugging! This is the greatest moment of my life! I ship you two so hard! I swear, I even have my own tumblr blog dedicated to Dalentina!"

"Please. Monrollins is OTP/endgame and you know it!" Miss Two-Tone argued as I gave her back her notebook and proceeded to sign Blondie's. When that was done we bid them farewell and snickered to ourselves as they walked back over to the car still arguing over who they shipped more.

"Ah, gotta love the fangirls," I simpered, bending over to rummage through my bag for my phone.

"All I heard was that they're fans of us, and even better, they're fans of Dean Ambrose," Dean replied impudently, crossing his arms behind his head.

"Your ego's showing again, Dean," I scoffed, tapping the screen to pull up my Twitter page.

"You wouldn't be complaining if you actually saw it, Monroe," he shrugged.

 _ **NatbyNature: Last night's victory was nothing but a fluke. If Valentina hadn't stuck her nose where it didn't belong I can guarantee that things would've gone differently. Then again, I should've seen this coming from such a classless, attention-seeking cheater.**_

"Nattie, Nattie, Nattie," I sneered, shaking my head as I angrily began typing out a response. "You have no idea what you just started."

"She's talking shit, isn't she?" Dean scoffed.

"She thinks our victory last night was a fluke," I said icily as I sent out the tweet.

"She's being a sore loser," Dean said. "I say you challenge her to a rematch tonight and show her exactly why that statement is false. You'll have embarrassed her on live TV within the last twenty-four hours. If that's not justice then I don't know what is."

 _ **TheKillerQueenOfWWE: A fluke, eh? Well Nattie, how about you put your money where your mouth is? You versus me tonight on Raw. I look forward to embarrassing you again. #TimeToTakeOutTheTrash #You'reAnInjustice #BeliveInTheShield**_

 _ **NatbyNature: I accept, Monroe. And I'll keep that in mind as I'm tapping you out. I'm sure your boys will be your shoulder to cry on when I do. #ClasslessCheater**_

"You are dead meat, woman!" I roared, just as Roman and Seth entered the car.

"Who is?" Seth asked quizzically, passing me my food and then passed Dean his.

"Nattie's talking shit on Twitter," Dean said, shoving some fries in his mouth. "And Valentina just challenged her to a rematch.

"Don't let her play those mind games with you, Vee," Roman advised. "Let your fists do the talking. Remind her who she's dealing with."

"She's going down," I said assuredly, biting into my hot dog as Roman started the car. "Make no mistake about it."

* * *

 _ **Raw**_

 _ **February 18**_ _ **th**_ _ **, 2013**_

 _ **Lafayette, Louisiana**_

 _ **The Cajundome**_

I wheeled my suitcase along as I pushed open the door labeled _**THE SHIELD**_. I'd stopped to take a few selfies and autographs with the fans crowded outside the arena prior to the show so I wasn't shocked to find the dressing room empty. The boys were more than likely already geared up and going over a post-Elimination Chamber plan for tonight, because let's be honest here; if Natalya wasn't gonna take her loss lightly then there was no way her teammates would either.

Gathering my gear out of the bag, I strutted into the en suite bathroom and closed the door behind me. Minutes later, I was dressed to kill in a black leather corset, black leather shorts, black leather thigh-high leg warmers with black garter straps that hooked onto the hem of my corset, black leather spiked knuckle duster gloves and black combat boots.

When that was done, I stopped by Hair & Makeup for the finishing touches. Within the next hour, my hair was styled in long, loose voluminous curls (God bless hair extensions) and my makeup was plum colored and sensual.

I was able to catch up with the boys just as the show kicked off and we sat down on a set of steps backstage. Well, Roman, Seth and I were as Seth was explaining to me tonight's plan. Dean, meanwhile, was anxiously pacing back and forth with a sadistic grin on his face. Something he had a habit of doing whenever he was fired up.

"Yo Ambrose, could you quit pacing for fuck's sake?" I snorted. "You're acting like you're about to enter a fucking MMA tournament."

"Can't help it," he rasped out, slamming his knuckles together. "Between your rematch against Natalya and us continuing our reign of justice, tonight's about to get interesting."

"Speaking of Natalya, how are your legs, Vee?" Roman asked. "Last night you were screaming bloody murder when she had you in that Sharpshooter. You sure you're one-hundred percent ready to go tonight?"

"Even when I'm not at a hundred percent, I'm gonna go out there and give it my all, Rome," I replied. "That's how it's always been for me."

"Yeah, and the last time you went with that strategy you tore your bicep and your UCL," Seth muttered.

"It wasn't my fault, okay?!" I exclaimed pointedly. "It was a fucking triple threat match and Sara's leg got tangled in with my arm and the ring ropes! Honest to God, I may have been sore last night but I'm more than ready to go tonight."

"You heard the lady, Rollins," Dean snickered. "And I'm sure those gorgeous legs of hers will still be ready to go when they're wrapped around your waist."

"Dean, I mean it, I'll end you and I'll make it look like a goddamn accide-" My rather explicit threat was cut short by Matt Striker's voice, who turned out to be right around the corner.

"Sheamus, last night at the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view The Shield were victorious," Striker began. "But you seem to have found a weakness, can you share your thoughts?"

"Please," Seth whispered agitatedly as we all moved closer and huddled together to hear the interview better. "The Shield has no weaknesses, and he's about to get that message loud and clear once I curb stomp him."

"No more luck of the Irish for you, fella," Dean sneered.

"Listen Matt, what happened last night didn't go to plan," Sheamus admitted. "Obviously we were supposed to get our revenge on The Shield and what's happened over the past couple weeks, but uh, I feel like we let everybody down and – Oi!" He narrowed his eyes at Ryback, who was pacing back and forth in frustration. "You think you're the only one who's affected by what happened last night?! We both lost that match! Listen, here's the thing, fella: we have to adapt and overcome! You're Ryback, right?! You're supposed to be a machine! Or are you really just like everyone else says, huh? Are you just some mindless Neanderthal?"

"Mindless Neanderthal?!" Ryback growled, grabbing Sheamus by the scruff of his collar.

"Hey! Hey! Stop it! Stop it! Enough! Both of you stop!" Chris Jericho and Natalya rushed in to break the two of them up.

"Does that make you mad?!" Chris demanded, slapping both of their chests. "Well you should be mad, but not at each other, at The Shield!"

"He's right, remember who the real enemies are here," Natalya interjected. "You two trying to rip each other's heads off is only making things worse."

"They've got everyone on edge around here and you two being in each other's faces does NOT help, okay?" Chris said angrily. "We know these guys are a pack of wolves, they do what they want, they attack then they want, I've seen it happen before with The NWO, with The Nexus, but The Shield's at a completely different level, okay? And you have to do whatever it takes to save this company. _WE_ have to do whatever it takes to save this company. Yeah, I said we, because I love WWE, and I've never worked anywhere else since I first walked through these doors in 1999, and I'll never wrestle for any other place again, okay?"

"And it just so happens that I have a rematch against Valentina tonight and with her out of the way that's already half of the problem solved," Natalya said scornfully. "I take her out of the equation, those buffoons go out of their minds and we all take our company back. This plan is surefire."

"Just like your plan last night was "surefire", Nattie?" I said smugly.

Roman chuckled lowly and clapped me on the shoulder. "All that shit talking's about to bite her in the ass, baby girl. Remember what we said, stay focused, and Natalya won't be leaving that ring the winner."

"She most certainly will not."

"-and there's NO way that that Vickie can deny the box office appeal of Natalya Neidhart versus Valentina Monroe and The Shield versus Ryback, Sheamus and Y2J!" Chris said tenaciously. "And if I go talk to her tonight, I guarantee we're gonna see our matches in Canjun country tonight, on Raw Is Jericho!"

"Is this the part where I'm supposed to take threats from a guy with a ridiculous jacket and a Bon Jovi haircut seriously?" Dean huffed.

"No, Dean, you're not," Seth smirked.

"If you can make it happen, you've got a deal," Sheamus replied.

"Done," Ryback said.

"Since my match has already been approved by Vickie, I'm gonna go warm up," Natalya said. "I won't let you guys down."

"That's what I wanna hear," Chris said confidently before the two of them walked off.

Ryback stepped up to Sheamus with a determined glare. "FEED. ME. SHIELD!" There was the sound of Sheamus laughing and slapping his teammate on the shoulder as the two of them followed Chris and Natalya out.

Craning my head, I turned to the boys with a magisterial smile and we simultaneously nodded. Natalya, Sheamus, Ryback, and Chris's words had our blood boiling, but that only confirmed one thing: they were all in for another ass-whopping.

* * *

"This is a Diva's match scheduled for one-fall!" Justin Roberts announced. "Introducing first, representing The Shield, from Brooklyn, New York: Valentina Monroe!"

 _Hey you know you're lockin' lips with a libertine?_

 _Hey did you know you're knockin' hips with a killer queen?_

 _Another victim of my method of seduction,_

 _I made you look but you never saw me comin,'_

Pushing the door open, I flipped my hair over my shoulder and fist bumped a few fans as I walked down the arena stairs. The boys were already at ringside which helped me feel more at ease because if Natalya tried to run or her teammates got involved, Roman, Seth and Dean would be there to put a stop to it.

"And Valentina looking even more annoyed than usual tonight," Michael noted as I stepped over the barricade. "Do you think she's letting Natalya get in her head?"

"Of course she's not, Michael!" JBL scoffed. "Natalya's words don't matter because Valentina's gonna make her eat them regardless!"

"You should've seen their Twitter war earlier, guys," Jerry laughed. "Are there any girls on the roster that Valentina hasn't had beef with yet?"

Stepping onto my apron, I thoroughly placed my right foot on the bottom rope and slowly stretched out my other leg before sliding downward until I was doing the splits on the bottom rope. I had long legs and I was able to use them to my advantage quite often in the ring. With that in mind, I decided to spice up my entrance for a change.

Ducking my head underneath the center rope, I reached up and grabbed the top rope, bouncing on the bottom rope for a couple seconds, I dismounted myself. Doing a 360 spin, I placed both arms behind me and positioned them on the top rope before flipping myself over. I then draped my right leg over the top rope while my left leg was planted on the bottom rope, flashing the crowd a cavalier wink just as the guitar riffs of Natalya's theme rang out.

"And her opponent, from Calgary, Alberta, Canada: Natalya!"

"Well Natalya looks like she has no remorse for her actions." Jerry joked as Natalya nonchalantly sauntered down the ramp.

"She should!" JBL spat. "She's been nothing but disrespectful to Valentina, she'll be lucky if she leaves this match with her face still intact!"

The ref waved his hand and told the time-keeper to start the match. The two of us locked up, and with a good amount of effort I was able to rearward her into the nearest corner. In order to wear her down, I briskly recoiled my fist and punched her in the face two times before ricocheting off the turnbuckles and striking her with a springboard roundhouse kick.

Digging my fist into her hair – and ignoring the ref's warnings for doing such – I flung her into the turnbuckle and extended my leg and pressed it against her throat before grabbing onto the adjacent ropes for support, choking her while the ref started to count. After he got to three I released the hold and she crumpled to the mat couching and frenziedly rubbing her throat.

Yanking her to her feet, I whirled around so we were back to back and corkscrewed my arms around her neck and falling into a neckbreaker. I promptly followed up with another one before dropping down and pulling her leg up.

"One!"

"Two!"

Natalya lifted her shoulder up and impatient snarl left my lips. Turning over, I reached for her hair again, but I was met with a sharp slap to the face, which momentarily stunned me and sent me reeling backwards.

Taking advantage, she locked her arms around my waist and fell backwards, hitting me with a brutal German suplex. I didn't have the luxury of rolling out of the ring to regain my breath because Natalya hauled me up seconds after my back hit the mat. Using her other hand to hook my head, she twined her leg around my leg and delivered a Russian legsweep. Rolling me over, she hoisted my leg up.

"One!"

"Tw-"

I heaved myself up and Natalya wasted no time in punishing me for it by dragging me to her level by the hair. Grunting, I raised my arm and pelted her with a clothesline. I could've taken this opportunity to get payback by taunting her, but where would the fun in that be? No, I had other ideas.

Planting her with a reverse STO, I seized her by the ankle and dragged her over to the ring post. Once the post was between her legs, I slid out of the ring and stood next to the ring post and locked in the figure four leglock. Launching myself backwards, I grabbed her feet while hanging upside down. All Natalya could do was scream in anguish and grip the ropes in a useless attempt to get out of the lock.

"Oh my God, what on earth is Valentina doing?!" Cole exclaimed. "Is she out of her mind?! This is taking it too far!"

"She's getting revenge, Michael!" JBL laughed. "And the boys couldn't be more proud! Especially Seth! Look at him, he's applauding her!"

"One! Two! Three! Four! Valentina, let go!" The ref scolded and I mulishly followed his orders.

"This is MY Kingdom!" I screamed at the crowd, brushing off the boos that came shortly afterward.

Re-entering the ring, I crawled over to Natalya and hooked her leg up.

"One!"

"Two!"

Cue another kick out from Natalya at two and a half and my aggravation intensifying. I exasperatedly lifted her up until she was standing in front of me and placed my shoulder under her jaw, ruthlessly spiking her with a shoulder jawbreaker. I knelt down beside her and grabbed her leg again.

"One!"

Natalya jerked out of the cover again, much to my veritable chagrin. She sat up and drove her fist into my stomach. I skittered away from her and she countered with two more blows to my face. She hoisted me up and planted me with an atomic drop before trampling over my back and rebounding off the ropes. After her feet slammed into my face in a basement dropkick, she hovered over me and as I tried to recuperate.

"One!"

"Two!"

Natalya slammed her fist against the mat in irritation as I kicked out just before the ref hit the mat again. As I pathetic and cowardly of an attempt as it probably was, I feebly tried to crawl away from her so I could gather my bearings. But Natalya wasn't having any of it. She grabbed my legs and pulled me away from the apron, briefly telling the boys to go to hell as they yelled at her in protest.

Before I knew it, she had me locked in the Sharpshooter, the pain shooting through my legs and more agonized screams spilling from my lips. I stand corrected, I will be both surprised AND grateful if I have zero health problems by the time I hit thirty.

I managed to get to the ropes in the nick of time, and by that I mean that I was a hair away from tapping out in hope that she didn't break my legs like toothpicks. The ref ordered her to let go and she backed up as I rolled underneath the ropes, using the middle one to pull myself up. Natalya dashed over to me and kneed me in the gut, causing me to lose my balance. I expected the hard, unforgiving concrete floor to greet me with a sloppy kiss so I was definitely thrown for a loop when I landed right in Seth's arms. He hooked his arm underneath my legs so he was holding me bridal style.

 _Seth just caught me….on live TV. I don't know whether to kiss him or tell him to put me the hell down! Though with the way he's looking at me, that first option sounds a lot more inviting…_

Seth's lips curved into a smug grin and, with reddened cheeks I placed my hand on his chest, feeling the hard, sculpted pectoral muscles that lay underneath. He brushed the messy curls away from my face and gently stoked my jawline as he stared intently at my lips. When he dipped his head to do the one thing I wanted for years I moved my other hand to rest on the back of his neck.

But leave it to Natalya to ruin the fucking moment.

In a flash, the soles of her feet slammed into both of us in a baseball slide, forcing Seth to drop me as the impact sent us spiraling into the announcer's table. Gruelingly, I rolled off the table and onto the floor as the ref began the count. Through my blurred vision I could see Dean trying to pull Seth up before I felt Roman gently doing the same with me. Not wanting Natalya to hit him as well – on top of not wanting her to win this via count out – I leapt out of his arms and rushed into the ring again as the ref counted to eight.

She stuck her arm out and ran to hit me with a clothesline, which I quickly avoided by bending myself backwards into the matrix. Arching upward, I waited for her to advance on me again before swiftly grabbing her neck. Hoisting her up, I leapt backwards and followed up with a cobra clutch slam.

Kipping up, I sprinted to the ropes and sprung off them before falling down and striking her in the chest with a snap elbow drop. After repeating this action two more times, I crouched down in front of the turnbuckles and shouted –scratch that, _demanded_ \- for her to get up. She staggered to her feet and I abruptly laid her out with an excruciating spear. I went for the pin and the ref started counting.

"One!"

"Two!"

"Three!"

He motioned for the bell and raised my arm in victory as Justin Roberts announced: "Here is your winner: Valentina Monroe!"

Still undefeated. And with Natalya out of the way it was time to eliminate the three remaining thorns in our side.

* * *

"Seth, come on!" I shouted, slapping the apron as he floored Sheamus with a dropkick before going for a cover on the Celtic Warrior.

"One!"

"Two!"

Sheamus kicked out, but Seth shoved him down and hastily went for another cover. He kicked out at one this time and Seth punched the mat in frustration. Desperate to wear the bigger man down, Seth trapped him in a headlock. When that didn't work Seth angrily kneed him in the face and stormed over to him as he backed up into the corner. Seth kicked him in the face and stomped him a few times before slapping Roman's hand.

"You okay there, hothead?" I joked as Seth bent over the ropes to stand beside me.

"Never better," he ground out. "Let's just hope Rome can end him because my patience is wearing thin here."

"Prepare for it to vanish completely," I muttered, cringing as Sheamus hit Roman with a clothesline that nearly took the Samoan's head off.

"Damn it! Roman! Tag me in, I'm open!" Seth demanded. Roman tagged him in and Sheamus tagged in Ryback.

"Mother of -!" Was all that left my lips as Ryback knocked Roman and I off the apron. Earlier, I had the pleasure of landing in Seth's arms to avoid something like this but now I wasn't as lucky. Eventually, I got enough strength back to climb back onto the apron just as Ryback lifted Seth up and was ready to hit him with Shell Shocked.

"Cover him, Vee!" I heard Roman growl lowly before rolling back into the ring and taking out Ryback with a Spear. Dean was keeping the ref and Jericho distracted by arguing with them. It was now or never, and I had to act fast. Stealthily stepping under the ropes, I raced over to Seth, grabbed his arm and dragged his half-conscious body over until he was covering Ryback before ducking out of the ring. Relief flooded my body when the ref didn't see me and began counting.

"One!"

"Two!"

Ryback kicked out, prompting Dean to stick out his hand for Seth to tag, which he immediately did. We were dominating them but it was clear this still wasn't going to be an easy victory. Then again, our victories prior to this didn't exclude some level of difficulty.

Surprisingly, Dean kept Ryback at bay and made sure to keep him as far away from his teammates as possible. When he rammed Dean into the corner, Roman sent a clubbing blow to his back before he and Dean used the ropes to choke him.

"You can never catch your breath against The Shield," Michael pointed out. "As I mentioned before, this all-consuming offence."

"Well this is the first time we've seen these guys on Raw in a match like this and I gotta admit, I'm impressed," Jerry said.

"Well they answered their critics last night and The Shield's doing so again tonight," Michael said. "They have completely floored Ryback, just like they did to Sheamus earlier on."

After another failed pin attempt, Seth dragged Ryback over to Dean, who tagged himself in before the two of them rained down punches on Ryback. Dean executed a neckbreaker and went for the pin but Ryback powered out at one. He tagged Roman in and Roman kept control of him. Once he had him cornered, he charged towards him, but Ryback moved out of the way at last minute. This caused Roman to take a painful hit between the legs courtesy of the top turnbuckle.

As Roman crumpled to the mat in agony, Ryback crawled over and tagged Jericho in and Roman weakly tagged Dean in. When he nailed Dean with a series of clotheslines and Seth with a springboard dropkick I couldn't help myself, I started panicking again, which only got worse after Jericho hit Dean with a running bulldog and a lionsault. Jericho went for Walls of Jerico but Dean pulled him down into a roll up pin.

"One!"

"Two!"

Jericho kicked out and chopped Dean across the chest. Ryback and Roman were now brawling at ringside while Dean struggled to hold his own against Jericho. Next thing I knew, he locked Dean in Walls of Jericho.

"Dean, whatever you do, don't freaking tap!" I screamed.

All I got was a pained grunt in response as he strenuously tried to get to the ropes. Sheamus tackled Roman and stopped him from breaking it up. Just when I thought all hope was lost, Seth jumped off the turnbuckle and Jericho was met with a knee to the face. Dean went for the cover.

"One!"

"Two!"

"Three!"

Once the ref called for the bell and Justin Roberts announced the boys as the winners, Seth quickly helped Dean up and motioned for us to leave through the crowd.

* * *

"So this is where Valentina Monroe officially became a badass."

"You better believe it, Deano. House of Glory taught me everything I know. And the fact that The Amazing Red owns this joint is the cherry on top."

"That would explain all those high-flying moves of yours. You continue to surprise me, darlin'."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?!"

"Well for example, I didn't expect the lethal and mischievous Killer Queen to be such a huge nerd." He gestured to my workout gear.

A pleased smirk crossed my lips as I glanced down at my electric blue colored leggings that had Goku from Dragon Ball Z displayed on both legs and my black t-shirt with the ravishing Mortal Kombat X version of Kitana on the front.

"You say it like it's a bad thing," I retorted, dropping my black and white _Turning Up Is My Cardio_ duffle in the corner and removing my dark gray cropped hoodie.

Since we weren't scheduled to appear on SmackDown and our next house show wasn't until Saturday, I decided to fly the boys back to Brooklyn with me to stop by my old stomping grounds. First we planned to get in a couple hours' worth of training at my old wrestling school and then we'd do lunch and end the day with a jovial trip to Coney Island. Normally the park was closed this time of year, but surprisingly spring had come earlier than expected this year and the park's reopening was announced shortly afterwards.

"Hey, baby girl?"

I raised my head to look over my shoulder at Roman. "Yes?"

"On the car ride you mentioned retooling your Hard Goodbye finisher, what did you have in mind?" he questioned, entering the ring with Dean and Seth following his lead.

"And more importantly, does it involve your legs around my neck?" Dean asked lasciviously.

"Dean, don't start," Seth warned. "I'm sure this place has a strict sexual harassment policy and I don't want you getting banned from the place before we've even started training."

"Anyway," I scoffed, stepping into the ring and clapping my hands together. "I researched a couple finishers on the plane yesterday and decided on the scissored armbar. Description wise, just picture me being seconds away from ripping a bitch's arm out of their socket and they've got no choice but to tap out. I'll call it…" I paused dramatically. "Kiss of Death."

"A little homage to Poison Ivy, I take it?" Seth grinned.

"Damn skippy," I said excitedly, before staring at the three of them with a challenging smirk. "So, which one of you wants a demonstration?"

"I'll pass!"

"Me too!"

"….Shit."

"Ding ding ding!" I exclaimed obnoxiously. "Step right up, Dean Ambrose! You're the next contestant on The Killer Queen's Wheel of Torture!" I turned to Roman and Seth with a snort. "Feel free to place your bets at any time, fellas."

"Twenty bucks says he taps out in less than ten seconds," Seth chuckled, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I've got thirty that says he'll do it in less than five, bro," Roman replied. "You in?"

"What the fuck you guys?!" Dean thundered, his eyes widening to the size of saucers.

"Relax man, if your arm is hanging out of the socket then we'll step in," Roman said. "Who knows, perhaps you'll actually win this bet."

"You're damn right I will," Dean snapped pretentiously, slapping his taped fists together. "You're going down, Monroe."

"Honey, I'm flattered but that's a privilege you'll never get from me."

* * *

"Tap out, Deano! Tap! Tap! Tap!" I jeered five minutes later as I wrenched his arm back using both hands while simultaneously compressing his other arm using my leg.

"Over my dead body," he rasped out, jerking himself sideways as he tried to throw me off him. "Fuckin' A, is this payback for every time I fucked with you?!"

"Maybe," I answered innocently, tugging his arm back a little more before snapping my head up to look at Seth. "You know the drill, Sethie, ask my first victim the magic words!"

Seth stifled a laugh as he knelt down next to Dean's head. "What do you say, bro?"

"Up yours, Rollins!" he spat. "And Monroe, this doesn't mean you win, capeesh?!" He recalcitrantly tapped my thigh and I unwound my leg before doing the same with his arm.

Seth helped Dean to his feet and looked over at Roman. "So bro, how long was that?"

Roman squinted to look at his watch. "Nine seconds. Well there goes my beer money for this month, thanks a lot, Ambrose!"

All Roman got was a middle finger in response before Dean groaned and announced that he was gonna get some ice for his arm and then shower. Knowing we had more time to kill, Roman, Seth and I spent twenty more minutes or so sparring before ending the session and jetting off to Coney Island.

"God, I missed this so much," I moaned in delight as I shoveled a forkful of funnel cake into my mouth twenty minutes later, relishing the sweet flavor that lingering on my tongue while I walked alongside Seth.

"Don't suppose you'd mind sharing some of that with your favorite Superman?" Roman joked as we sat down at a vacated table that overlooked the ferris wheel.

"Only if you admit that my spear blows yours out of the water," I sassed back before taking another bite.

"And speaking of blow…." Dean trailed off with an impish grin as he leaned across the table. "I've got a challenge for you, Vee. You up for it?"

"Dean, don't start," Seth said sternly.

"Put a sock in it, Dad," Dean said coolly, never taking his eyes off me.

"Depends," I leaned back and folded my arms. "If you're about to dare me to streak I'm throwing your ass in the ocean."

"It's not," he replied, taking a fifty from his pocket and placing it on the table. "Fifty bucks says you can't go on the Zenobio AND the Thunderbolt without blowing chunks."

I swallowed thickly. Of course dean would pick the top two macabre rides in the whole damn park! The Zenobio was about a 9.5 on the 1 to 10 macabre scale. At a lofty height, it sweeps you 130 feet in the air at rapid speed, all the while rotating consecutively and performing hair-raising summersaults. And the Thunderbolt? Hands down; a solid 10. As the largest rollercoaster in the park, it also included and exhilarating speed followed by a 90 degree vertical drop guaranteed to make anyone jump out of their skin, and many twists and turns. I'd only been on both of them once and never regretted anything more in my life and was practically kissing the ground afterwards.

But, despite all warnings in my head, I wasn't about to chicken out and give Dean the benefit of tormenting me. So ignoring Seth and Roman as they told me I didn't have to do it, I set my fork down and firmly shook Dean's hand.

"Game on, Ambrose," I answered haughtily. "That fifty bucks is going towards my Sephora and hair extensions fund."

 _Wrong._ The one thing I loathed being more than anything. Not only was I slapped with the fact that I had a weaker stomach than I thought after exiting both rides and hacking my guts out in the nearest trash can, but I was now out fifty bucks and Dean had the golden opportunity to taunt me for as long as he damn well pleased for this. I wanted to go through with my threat from earlier and chuck him into the ocean but instead all I could settle for was…

"I HATE YOU, DEAN AMBROSE!" I shrieked, before violently empting the contents of my stomach into the trash can again.

"Shh, shh, shh," Seth said soothingly while holding my hair with one hand and rubbing my back with the other. "That's it, sweetheart. Let it all out. You're gonna be okay. Ro, can you get Dean out of here please?"

Roman nodded and walked off with Dean, which was well needed solace. When I was done hurling, Seth gently pulled my head up and wrapped a supporting arm around my waist to keep me steady as I felt very woozy. He then wiped the puke away from my mouth and handed me his water, gently instructing me to take careful sips as I guzzled it down.

"Is this the part where you call me a moron for accepting Ambrose's bet?" I grumbled, peeling off my white and gray Poison Ivy sweatshirt and tied it around my waist. I then smoothed out my tank top - which also featured the beautiful but deadly Mileena from Mortal Kombat – before tucking a piece of hair behind my ear.

"No, I'm not _that_ heartless," he said, pulling me close and placing a kiss on my cheek. "This is the part where I win you a prize to cheer you up. Come on." He led me over to where all the carnival games were located. We stopped in front of a vibrantly colored trailer that had racks of empty beer bottles attached to the wall.

"Seth, you don't have to do this, honestly I'm fine," I tried to object as he handed the lady in charge of the trailer six dollars. She handed him three balls and wished him luck.

"I know I don't have to, I want to," he chuckled, tossing one of the balls up and down in one hand. "I played baseball for years before I started wrestling. Don't tell me you're beginning to doubt your Architect, Vee."

"No, of course not!" I exclaimed. "It's just that these things are a total rip-off!"

He suddenly drew his hand back before rapidly thrusting it forward. My mouth fell open as the ball hit its target and the glass shattered upon impact and fell into a small pile below.

"You were saying?" he said cockily, pointing to a Daenerys Targaryen plush that hung on the wall. My smile grew as the lady handed it to me.

"Is that all you got?" I teased with a challenging grin whilst clutching the plush to my chest.

"Oh sweetheart, you ain't seen nothing yet."

One Khal Drogo and Sailor Moon plush later, Seth's arm was around my shoulders, holding me close to him in a warm embrace as we walked along the boardwalk. The clouds were tinged a pinkish orange as the sun began to set and the sound of the waves rising and falling on the beach next to us made the setting that much more tranquil, and dare I say, _romantic_.

As we sat next to each other in the warm sand, I crossed my legs and dipped my head to rest my chin against his shoulder. It was times like this where I couldn't help but be thankful for a lot of things, like having a man like Seth in my life, or for having brothers like Dean and Roman in my life for that matter. I didn't come from a huge family and if it weren't for wrestling I wouldn't have met any of them, which is why I cherished every moment I spent with all three of them.

"You okay?" Seth asked, breaking me from my thoughts.

"Yeah," I murmured with a reassuring smile before turning my head to gaze at the enthralling horizon. "Perfectly fine."

* * *

 _ **A/N: Sooooo, my condolences for the long wait (damn you, writer's block!) but I'd still love to know what you all think! Oh, and prepare yourselves because we're getting closer to Monrollins becoming official! Also, for those of you who want a better visual of Valentina's new entrance, I added it to her titantron and re-uploaded it and it's in the first 26 seconds of the video. The link to that is on my profile. See ya soon!**_

 _ **References: "Can you move your seat up?" "Nope" is from Captain America: Civil War**_


	13. Eye For An Eye

_**A/N:**_ _So much love and thanks again for all of your wonderful reviews and support! Again, any ideas or constructive criticism you guys have is much obliged as well. Enjoy!_

 _ **MsConCon -**_ _*hugs tightly* Oh my God, I missed your reviews so much! Honestly it was the middle of the night here when I received them and it took all the willpower I had not to wake everybody up by jumping up and down screaming. Trust me, my friend; your reviews are far from retarded. And I can't even express to you how much it means to me that you love the trailer, Valentina's titantron and her outfits and pets. And yeah, one of the cool things about Valentina is that she's definitely a huge nerd and she doesn't care who knows it._

 _Oh, and I was totally referencing the live action version Cat in the Hat but I somehow forgot to jot it down as one of my references so thanks a lot for pointing that out. And I love both Titanic and Harry Potter so I couldn't help but add them in there as well. And dude, I can't tell you how much I envy you for having DVDs of Seth's indie days! And as far as Jimmy Jacobs goes…well, let's just say you're gonna have a lot more reasons to hate him later on in the story._

 _Speaking of hate, yeah, what Dean did was totally uncalled for so I thought having her test out her new finisher on him was justified payback._

 _You can definitely bank on Seth and Valentina's first time being both hot and romantic. Valentina's sex life has always lacked that much-needed raw passion and Seth's about to rock her world ;)_

 _ **Lill2350 –**_ _Yeah, that bet definitely came back to bite Valentina in the ass, much to her dismay. But of course Seth made it all better by winning her plushies XD You're very welcome! I've loved her ever since I saw Wolf of Wall Street with her and Leonardo DiCaprio. And yay, you're a 30 Seconds To Mars fan too! The man can sing, act, and not to mention he's insanely – pun intended - gorgeous XD_

* * *

 _ **Chapter Thirteen – Eye For An Eye**_

* * *

" _ **I need a gangsta,**_

 _ **To love me better,**_

 _ **Than all the others do,**_

 _ **To always forgive me,**_

 _ **Ride or die with me,**_

 _ **That's just what gangsters do,**_

 _ **I'm fucked up, I'm black and blue,**_

 _ **I'm built for all the abuse,**_

 _ **I got secrets that nobody, nobody, nobody knows,**_

 _ **I'm good on that pussy shit,**_

 _ **I don't want what I can get,**_

 _ **I want someone with secrets that nobody, nobody, nobody knows,**_

 _ **I need a gangsta,**_

 _ **To love me better,**_

 _ **Than all the others do,**_

 _ **To always forgive me,**_

 _ **Ride or die with me,**_

 _ **That's just what gangsters do,**_

 _ **My freakness is on the loose,**_

 _ **And running all over you,**_

 _ **Please, take me to places that nobody, nobody knows,**_

 _ **You got me hooked up on the feeling,**_

 _ **You got me hanging from the ceiling,**_

 _ **Got me up so high I'm barely breathing,**_

 _ **So don't let me, don't let me, don't let me, don't let me go," Gangsta by Kehlani**_

* * *

"So what was it you wanted to talk to me about again? Am I in trouble, bro?" I teased, conscientiously stepping inside one of the passenger cars on the Wonder Wheel.

"Not at all, Little V," Roman said reassuringly, taking my hand to steady me as we maneuvered ourselves into the car and sat down. "Just thought I'd have a little heart to heart with my sister, and ask her what the hell possessed her to make a crazy ass bet with Ambrose."

"I had it in the bag!" I protested, playfully slapping his arm. "That damn funnel cake came back to haunt me! If I'd gone through with it on an empty stomach I'd be fifty bucks richer right now!"

"To be fair, you did try to tear his arm from its socket during our training session earlier so I'd say you're even," he shrugged. "By the way, I thought you should know Seth _really_ loves your new entrance. His face said it all. So were you were a gymnast before you got into wrestling?"

I nodded. "I started doing it when I was six and continued with it all the way up until the end of my sophomore year. In addition to that, I was also on the cheerleading team."

"That would explain the dancing, the splits and herkies you've done at the gym," he replied, pinching my cheek. "As a former football player I respect that. Hey, didn't Seth use to play football too? Guess you two really are meant for each other."

"Shut up, Reigns," I grumbled, slapping his hand away. "One more comment like that and I'll push you off this thing to your death."

"If I go down I'm taking you with me, sis," he rebutted. "Saw you two looking all cozy by the beach earlier by the beach too, definitely looked like something out of _The Notebook_."

"You were spying on us?!" I thundered. "I thought you were busy giving Dean yet another 'Roman Reigns Pep Talk'?!"

"I did. Didn't take long to read him the riot act," he shrugged. "You're lucky I was with him too, he was planning on stealing a bullhorn from one of those game trailers and well, let's just say that the things he planned on saying were not PG."

"Typical Ambrose," I said. "Thanks for that though. Seth and I were enjoying each other's company; I think I would've died of shame if Dean ruined it."

"And after that you would've haunted him for the next fifty years, correct?" He quirked a brow.

"You so get me, thanks for understanding."

* * *

"So how many tattoos did you say you wanted to get?" Seth inquired the following day as I drove to our destination.

"I'm thinking at least five, plus I want a stud in my nose too," I replied, removing my black sunglasses and tucking them in my purse.

"Someone's feeling extra ballsy today, you want me to come in and hold your hand during it again?"

"But of course," I giggled, leaning over a bit to intertwine my fingers with his. "I promise I won't try to break your hand this time it becomes too overwhelming."

"Thank God for that, last time that happened it took four aspirins and a bag of frozen peas alone just to reduce the pain in and bring down the swelling."

"Pussy!" I coughed loudly, making a left turn and pulling into the parking lot of Asylum Tattoo Studio. I'd been coming here for the last six years. I'd gotten a couple of my tattoos done at other shops since I traveled quite often and it was convenient, but the majority of my ink and piercings had been done here.

"Valentina, hey!" A petite woman with black and purple hair and a butterfly half-sleeve waved at me from behind the front counter as we walked in.

"Hi, Erica!" I beamed, embracing her in a quick hug as she walked over to me. "I'm so glad you were able to book this on such short notice."

"Anything for my favorite customer," she said before turning to Seth. "Seth! It's great to see you as well!"

"Likewise, Erica," he said warmly, giving her a hug.

"So I got the pictures you sent me and drew up the outlines," she told me as she led us into the back room. "Now just lie down and relax and we can get started."

Given that a couple of my tattoos were rather detailed it came as no shock to me when Erica told me it would be a good six to seven hours before it was all over and done with. I wasn't concerned, given that I had nothing else to do and I had Seth to keep me company.

"Girl, these are amazing, thank you so much!" I squealed as I admired my new ink in the floor length mirror. My left bicep was now adorned with a gypsy portrait, along the right side of my ribs was a large cross with a filigree design, a cluster of stars began at the middle of my back and curled around my left hip with tiny microdermal piercings decorating the stars, the left side of my ribs now read _My ambition is my weaponry_ , a heart with _Mr. J_ written on the inside with an arrow going through it decorated my right collarbone, a small black heart behind my left ear and lastly, the right side of my nose now contained a small stud.

"Anytime," she beamed, swiping my credit card after I handed it to her.

"Not gonna lie, those all look stunning," Seth murmured, kneeling down and gently tracing patterns around my cross tattoo as I lifted my _Marilyn, Bettie, Audrey & Rita _tank top for him to get a closer look.

"You said the same thing when we first met," I whispered, my smile growing as the memory returned to my head.

"And I meant every word, same goes for right now," he grinned, standing up and linking our arms together. "Now how do you feel about heading back to your place and making up for that Star Wars marathon by watching all of the Harry Potter movies?"

"I'd say you're a man after my own heart."

* * *

"I take it you two kids had fun last night?" Dean snickered as the four of us sat in a booth at Rookies the next day.

"Fuck off, Dean," I bit out as I took a swig of my soda.

"And I'm gonna end this before this turns into another round of Ambrose vs. Monroe," Roman cut in. "I saw the pictures of your new ink Instagram, Vee. Very nice."

"Thanks, Rome!"

"Hey Seth, I'd watch that waiter behind the bar if I were you," Dean drawled.

"And why's that, Ambrose?" Seth inquired. "Is he secretly a direwolf?"

"No, you oblivious nerd. I'm saying you should beat him to a pulp if necessary because he hasn't taken his eyes off Valentina since we walked in."

"WHAT?!" I yelped, choking on my water which prompted Seth to rub my back. "That's not funny, Ambrose, knock it off!"

"Look for yourself if you don't believe me, I'll gladly help Sethie beat him up if he comes over here too because he looks like a fuckrag. If a guy like that even stepped foot in CZW it wouldn't be long before he'd be in the ER getting all the thumbtacks and glass removed from his body."

"Do you fucking mind, Dean?" I growled, my nose scrunching up in disgust. "I'm trying to eat here!"

"Heads up, fuckrag's coming over," Roman muttered.

"So how was everything?" he purred, resting his hands on the table before leaning close to me. He was rather handsome, that I'll admit. Average build, hazel eyes and short black hair. But just because I thought he was attractive didn't mean I was interested in him. If only Seth saw it that way, because his jaw was tense and if he clenched his glass any tighter I was sure he'd break it. What's worse, this guy wasn't about to back off.

"It was delicious, thanks…." I peered at his nametag. "Richie."

"Well we do aim to please here," he replied with a chuckle. "Is there anything else I can get for you?"

"No, we're fine," I mumbled awkwardly.

"You sure?" he pressed, swiping his tongue over his top lip as he not-so-subtly peered at the cleavage peeking out of my distressed v-neck. "It's no trouble at all…"

"She said no, _Richie_ ," Seth spat out his name as if it were the foulest thing on earth. "We'll take that check now."

"Sure thing," he replied vexingly as he placed the check holder on the table, purposely leaning in more when he did so. Jesus, if he came any closer he'd be in my lap!

"You and your…brother," he threw Seth a snide smirk before flashing me a lustful one. "Have a good one. And when you want to be taken care of by a _real_ man, call me."

I could hear Roman whispering for Seth to calm down as the guy scribbled his number down and handed it to me. It was a miracle he did otherwise I was certain Seth would've curb stomped his head through the table.

"You want those thumbtacks now, bro?" Dean snickered once Richie had walked off. "I've got a jar full of them in my trunk."

"No, I just need to blow off some steam. Excuse me." He stood up and left the restaurant without another word.

* * *

 _ **Raw Super Show**_

 _ **February 25**_ _ **th**_ _ **, 2013**_

 _ **Dallas, Texas**_

 _ **American Airlines Center**_

"Seth, you've been giving me the cold shoulder for the last four days now, what gives?!" I asked angrily as we walked through the lobby towards our entrance spot. "I told you a million times that I wasn't interested in that jerk, I even ripped up his number after you stormed out in a jealous rage!"

"I'm not jealous!" he argued. "I-I...I just thought he was a dickwad!"

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, Sethie," I said in a sing-song voice, pinching his cheek. "Come to think of it, you should get jealous more often, it's sexy."

"You're not helping, Monroe."

"Hey! Knock it off!" Roman interjected. "Save the drama for later and focus on the more important matter at hand right now, got it?"

"Loud and clear, Big Dog," I replied.

 _ **Sierra. Hotel. Echo. Lima. Delta. Shield**_

We put our game faces on as we stalked down the steps and any drama that Seth and I had was forgotten – at least temporarily – as we had bigger fish to fry right now. So once we'd all hopped over the barricade we told the ringside technician to hand each of us a mic so we could get down to business.

"It's always gotta get worse before it can get better," Dean said once we were all in the ring. "And believe us when we tell you it's gonna keep getting worse. A lot worse. There will be no peace in WWE until there is justice, and honor. We are The Shield, we are the most efficient, effective, most dangerous unit in this industry. And that makes a lot of people back there-" He pointed to the ramp with a smirk. "Very uncomfortable. That's too bad, cause we're here to shatter your comfort zones. You can keep trying to take us out, assemble any super team you want! Create an army! And you still won't be able to stop us from doing the job we came here to do!"

"Bring that army, stack every odd in the world against us, we're gonna stand here and we're gonna fight, and we're gonna win!" Roman spat. "We're gonna win every single time, and if you don't believe that, if you don't believe in The Shield, justice is going to hunt you down and we're gonna grind your bones to dust!"

"So make it easier on yourselves and just give up and accept your fate," I simpered. "Because no matter who you recruit, no matter how foolproof of a plan you come up with, and it still won't enough because The Shield will always prevail. And let me just point out that it's been months and I'm still getting Tweets from people asking me, 'Why, Valentina?! Why?! Why did you join The Shield?!' Well first of all, I don't owe any of you an explanation as to why I did what I did, but take it from me: being the goody-goody girl next door only gets you so far in life and I learned that the hard way. The Shield had my best interests in mind and opened my eyes to the injustice that is WWE and who I really am. As a wise woman once said, 'You need to be cold to be Queen. You can't make people love you, but you can make them fear you.', and I've done just that."

Seth gave me an elated clap on the shoulder and raised his mic to his lips. "At TLC, in one of the most brutal matches in the history of this company, we defeated Team Hell No and the Neanderthal Ryback. And at Elimination Chamber, we did something that no one on planet earth thought we could: we solved "The John Cena Problem". We defeated the superhero squad of Ryback, Sheamus, Natalya and John Cena, and if that wasn't warning enough, that washed up, has been, wannabe rockstar Chris Jericho still wanted to stick his neck out last week on Raw for Sheamus, Ryback and Natalya. Well, he stuck it out an inch too far, cause I put my knee in the back of his skull and dropped him! Just like we've dropped every single person that's came before us! Just like we dropped Sheamus, just like we dropped John Cena! Is there no one else?! Is there anyone else who wants to step up and face-"

 _It's a shame for they lost their head,_

 _A careless man could wind up dead,_

 _You wear your sin like it's some kind of prize._

We turned to look at the ramp as The Celtic Warrior himself came out and gave each of us a challenging grin.

"Alright lads and lassie, you want to fight tonight?" he said. "Well why don't you come up here and fight me?! What's the matter, you don't have the stones?! I'm standing right here waitin' for ya fella, I'm going nowhere! Come on!"

With a prompt nod from Seth, Roman and Dean stepped through the ring and walked towards Sheamus, ready to pound the crap out of him.

But none of us were prepared for what happened as soon as they did.

A hand came down hard on my shoulder, whirling me around before a knee was driven into my stomach, giving me no time to fight back. An arm coiled around my neck and wrenched my neck backwards before leaping up and back flipping over me. My back was fleetly driven into the mat, and simultaneously Randy dropped Seth with an RKO.

"Randy Orton with an RKO to Rollins and AJ Lee with a Shiranui to Valentina!" Cole exclaimed. "Randy Orton and AJ Lee with a hit and run! Chalk one up for Sheamus, Orton and AJ tonight!"

The sight of AJ blowing me a kiss before quickly exiting the ring with Randy made my blood run cold. Roman and Dean were also livid, but I was still seeing stars after getting hit with a Shiranui to fully register what they were yelling at AJ and Randy.

* * *

"Talk to me, Valentina, where do you feel the pain?" Chris, one of the ringside doctors, asked as Seth and I sat on the tables in the trainer's room. The cameraman stood in front of us and I scowled. I was so not in the mood to be filmed right now.

"Where does it hurt?" Dr. Sampson asked Seth, who was holding a bag of ice to his back.

"My back hurts, but not major damage, can I go now?" I huffed.

"I second that, I'll hunt Orton down and kick his teeth in for this," Seth said irately.

"Relax, guys, they're just trying to help," Roman said calmly. "We'll get them back tomorrow night on SmackDown but you two are in no shape to fight right now. When we get out of here we're going back to the hotel and you two are taking it easy."

"Oh, hey, Vee how's your back?" My blood ran cold as AJ giggled and skipped over to me. I hopped off the table and lunge towards her but Roman wrapped his arms around my waist and yanked me back and the ref stood in between us.

"What do you want, Lee?" I sneered. "You're lucky we're not alone right now because if we were I'd jam my foot up your snatch."

"How unladylike, you kiss your mother with that mouth? Oh wait, she's not in your life anymore," she said snidely. "But I didn't come here to start trouble. I came in here to tell you to consider tonight a warning. Either you and your hounds back off, or we'll do so much worse than what we did tonight. Oh, and one more thing." She raised her hand and slapped me across the face.

"BITCH!" I screamed, thrashing in Roman's arms as his grip tightened and glaring at AJ while she laughed in my face before skipping out of the room. "YOU'RE MINE, BITCH! YOU WANNA KNOW WHAT WE DO TO SPIDERS WHERE I COME FROM?! I'VE GOT TWO WORDS FOR YOU: BLOW TORCH!"

"Enough!" Roman yelled. "Remember what I just told you?! Get it together! She ain't even worth it!"

"I'm fine!" I answered scathingly, rubbing my cheek. "Let me go, I'm good. I'm cool."

He looked at me hesitantly and briefly turned his head to make sure AJ was out of sight before slowly releasing his grip.

"Should've just let her beat AJ's ass, bro," Dean snorted. "That would've been a sight to see."

"Deano, I have ways of getting back at her. This isn't over by a long shot, I promise you," I replied with a diabolical smile.

* * *

 _ **SmackDown**_

 _ **February 26**_ _ **th**_ _ **2013**_

 _ **Oklahoma City, Oklahoma**_

 _ **Chesapeake Energy Arena**_

 _ **The KillerQueenOfWWE: On commentary tonight, folks! What happened on Raw was a….minor setback, to say the least. You know who we are and it'd be wise for you to keep both eyes in the back of your head. Eh, who am I kidding? Even that won't be enough to save you. #Don'tStartAFireIfYouCan'tPutOutTheFlames #BelieveInTheShield #AJ'sGoingToSpearCity**_

I zipped up my strapless denim corset with studs decorating the bust and tugged on my leather studded jacket, grinning at the Hounds of Justice patch stitched to the lapel. The rest of my look consisted of black denim jeans with contrasting trimmings and inserts and black suede over the knee boots with a platform heel.

Since AJ was scheduled to be on commentary for Randy and big Show's match our strategy was to have me come out and join her, really rile her up for a good five minutes or so during the match and then attack her once the boys' music hit.

Isn't revenge fun?

 _Hey you know you're lockin' lips with a libertine?_

 _Hey did you know you're knockin' hips with a killer queen?_

 _Another victim of my method of seduction,_

 _I made you look but you never saw me comin'_

"And here comes the Killer Queen herself." Jerry laughed as I sauntered down the ramp towards the commentary table. "Looks like you're not the only one joining us tonight, AJ."

"Is that supposed to intimidate me, Jerry?" AJ rolled her eyes before kicking her feet up on the table. "Well lookie cookie, even with three pounds of makeup on you can still see my handprint on her face."

"AJ, if you don't mind my asking, what is your issue with Valentina?" Cole asked.

"I can answer that," I interjected venomously, placing my headset on my head before taking a seat next to Josh. "It's because AJ Lee is an irrelevant insect whose only real talent is swapping spit with 99.9% of the male roster."

"Oh, Vee, I don't like you," AJ sneered as Randy and Big show locked up in the ring. "Now, since the question was actually meant for me, I'm gonna answer it. Michael, the issue I have with Valentina is that she thinks she owns this division even though she's only been here for a cup of hot coffee. The only reason why she's even here in the first place is because of The Shield."

"Well if it ain't the pot calling the kettle black," I snorted, mockingly clapping as Big Show whipped Randy into the corner and hit him with a splash. "Sure, you did the whole Chickbusters thing with Kaitlyn for a while but after that you were known as the girl with a different boyfriend every week. Tell me, how does your "Ziggy" feel about you hooking up with Sheamus and Orton?"

"Valentina, watch your language, there's kids in the audience," she replied disparagingly. "My baby Ziggy doesn't mind me temporarily teaming up with Sheamus and Orton because he thinks you guys are a pain in the ass too and he was more than happy to give me his…seal of approval after I took you out on Raw."

"Yuck, I think I just threw up in my mouth a bit."

"And a kick out by Orton at two!" Cole exclaimed.

"I don't know how Orton was able to kick out of that but Big Show looks like he's got evil intentions now," Jerry said.

"Get up, Orton!" AJ shouted as Big Show climbed to the top turnbuckle. "Move, dammit! Move! Move! Move!"

"Oh, Randy, you've got to move!" Jerry said urgently. "Randy! Big Show from the second rope!"

"And Orton just scooted out of the way!" Cole said. "This could be an opportunity for Randy Orton."

"I wouldn't say that," I said in a sing-song voice.

"Monroe, I swear if your hounds come down tonight," AJ warned, sending me a threatening glare.

"You'll what?" I questioned sardonically. "Throw a tantrum and start throwing things everywhere again? I'm petrified."

"You will be," she said menacingly.

Big Show got out of the ring and Randy followed him, delivering punches Show's way before he was quickly swatted back. Big Show picked him up and ran towards the ring post with the intention of slamming him into it but that plan failed once Randy managed to get off his back and Big Show was sent into it instead.

Randy rolled into the ring and pulled Big Show up and got a large hand wrapped around his throat for doing so. Randy kicked him in the head and weakened him enough to execute a hanging DDT off the top rope.

 _ **Sierra. Hotel. Echo. Lima. Delta. Shield.**_

"Wait a minute!" Cole shouted. "This is not good! The complexion of this night has changed! Cause there's Rollins and Ambrose!"

Knowing that was my cue, I stood up and yanked off my headset before sprinting over to AJ. I ripped off her headset and shoved her chair over, sending her barreling backwards before pouncing on her. Punches and headbutts were thrown and hair was pulled before AJ suddenly raised her fist and clocked me right in the eye.

Scrambling back, my hand flew up to cover my eye and I inwardly groaned, knowing from personal experience that the immediate soreness was a vast indicator that AJ had given me a black eye. With me briefly distracted, she dashed over and floored me with a Shining Wizard. Simultaneously, the boys' attack on Sheamus and Randy came to a screeching halt when Big Show rose to his feet after being knocked into the turnbuckles and slugged Roman in the jaw. Seth and Dean were both caught like a deer in headlights as the blow flung The Powerhouse over the top rope. He sent a menacing glare their way and knowing they had no other option unless they wanted to get pummeled, they both fled the ring, with Seth motioning for me to follow suit.

But there was no fucking way I was about to let AJ have the last laugh.

So when she bent over and grabbed me by the hair, I ruthlessly punched her in the gut before seizing both of her arms. Twisting myself around, I placed her in a straightjacket hold before dropping to the floor and executing a straightjacket neckbreaker slam.

"Valentina with a counter on AJ!" Cole cringed. "How brutal was that?"

"I felt it from here!" Jerry snorted. "You know for sure AJ's gonna feel that in the morning!"

"And that's why I'm The Queen!" I snapped, kipping up and dusting myself off before strutting over to Dean, Roman and Seth. Lucky for us, Randy and Sheamus were slower than molasses so they weren't able to stop me from getting at least 25% of my revenge on AJ (the other 75% I intended on getting in good time). All they could do was roll out of the ring and check on her while we hopped over the barricade.

* * *

"So you're gonna nurse me back to health then?" I giggled as Seth sat me down on the bed in our hotel room and gingerly held the bag of ice over my eye. He then let go as I raised my hand to hold and elevate it.

Having opted to crash as soon as possible when we arrived at our suite, I peeled off my clothes and changed into something that was ten times more comfortable: a black oversized t-shirt that read _Pizza, Chips, Chocolate, Ice Cream, Nachos, Milkshake_ , black shorts underneath that read _Sexy Bitch_ across the back with a fuchsia colored heart under laying the writing and black slippers that had Jiji, the cat from the anime movie Kiki's Delivery Service, on the toe part.

"Well you know I'd do anything for you," he smiled. "Look, I know being out for the next week and a half sounds like the end of the world, but you'll be back and better than ever before you know it."

"Permission to shred AJ when I return?" I asked, batting my lashes.

"Permission granted." He knelt down and sifted through his suitcase for a moment and took out a tube of eye cream and handed it to me. "Here, this should help. Worked wonders for me whenever I got a black eye and I keep it on me just in case."

"You're too good to me," I said graciously. It was then that I felt my stomach grumble, my cheeks quickly flushed in embarrassment. On the other hand, the last time I ate today was lunch – due to us having multiple signings throughout the day as well as two radio interviews – and all I had was a Panini from Starbucks.

"Hungry?" Seth teased.

"Famished," I groaned, rubbing my stomach.

"Well if Little V desires food, that's exactly what she's gonna get," he said. "I think the menu for Room Service is in the living room. I'll go check." He started to get up, but I grabbed his arm and stopped him, as it then occurred to me that I still had yet to address the yesterday's incident.

"You're not…." I swallowed thickly and bit my lip. "You're not still mad about what happened last night, are you?"

"No," he shook his head. "I was way out of line and what Ambrose said didn't help much either, but bottom line I shouldn't have blown up at you like I did and I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted," I replied, before playfully poking him in the ribs. "So…you weren't jealous then?"

"Bite me, Monroe," he snorted, swatting my hand away and standing up. I watched as he exited the room and kicked my feet up. My eyes flickered to the bedside table where my phone was and reaching over, I unlocked it and scrolled through Twitter. Just as I suspected, AJ had not only retweeted the picture of my eye – which had surfaced on WE's webisite and Twitter page shortly after the brawl – but she actually had the gall to send out countless tweets bragging about it too.

"AJ, AJ, AJ," I said nonchalantly with a devious grin. "You may have taken me down, but you have not taken me out. Fuck with the Queen Bee, and you're gonna get stung."

* * *

 _ **A/N: Looks like things are about to go from bad to worse for Valentina and AJ. When I thought about who I wanted Valentina's opponent to be for WrestleMania AJ just seemed like the perfect candidate since it's clear that they can't stand each other, and WrestleMania 29 is on the East Coast too, so New York vs New Jersey only confirmed that idea. Oh, and because she's helped me grow so much as a writer and has been a huge inspiration for this fic, big ups/shoutout to my partner in crime LittleGee. Her Roman/OC fic, Speared Through The Heart, is, to quote the amazing Becky Lynch, '100% Straight Fire!' Also don't forget to check out my polyvore page if you wish to see Valentina's new tattoos and piercings and all of her outfits for this chapter. Ciao!**_

 _ **References: "You need to be cold to be Queen. You can't make people love you, but you can make them fear you." is from Gossip Girl.**_


End file.
